October 31, 2026, 89, – Jimmie Roselle Downs Best, age 89, passed away on October 31, 2026 at East Carolina Medical Center in Greenville, NC. Born in Covington, GA, she was the daughter of the late John H. and Roselle Long Downs and granddaughter of the late James (Jim) Downs and Emma Vandelia Downs and James (Jim) and Lena Long; an infant daughter, Nancy Dianne Best and her in-laws, Joseph and Sallie Hatmaker, along with her son-in-law, Lennie Lanier. She was also preceded in death by the “Love of her Life”, Donald Cooper Best who was retired from the US Air Force. She lived from one coast to the other and France during his military career. She worked for 35 years as a teacher’s assistant with the Goldsboro City Schools and Wayne County Public Schools.
A service to celebrate Jimmie’s life will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 3:00 pm at Shumate-Faulk Funeral Home with Rev. Jim Willoughby officiating. Burial will follow in Pineview Cemetery in Seven Springs. The family will greet friends on Wednesday, one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Jimmie is survived by her son, Stan Best and wife, Susan; her daughters, Donna Lanier, Judy Lynn Best and her husband, George Vinson, and her granddaughter that she raised as her daughter, Jessica Best; her grandchildren, John D. Lanier, Kaci Douglass, Joseph E. Lanier, Eric Foote and Chris Holloman; her great grandchildren, Cooper Douglass, Christi Douglass, Cody Ezzell, Mathew Lanier, Jake Lanier, Connor Douglass, Corey Douglass and Katy Murray; and her best friend, Jean Farlow. She also loved her fur babies and constant companions, “her bed hogs”, Hank and Gabbi.
The family requests no flowers and memorial gifts may be directed to the Animal Welfare League of Wayne County, P.O. Box 11437, Goldsboro, NC 27532.
Shumate-Faulk Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to be serving the Best family.
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