Obituary
Funeral services for Bobbie “Joy” Best will be held at 10:00 AM, Sat., April 1, 2023 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with her grandson, Ryan Best officiating. Burial will follow in the Floyd Cemetery with Ryan Best, Reavis Bell, Halee Goff, Klancy Best, Trey Best, Lyndsi Donner, Wende Fraze, Barbi Dauer, Marissa Best and Monica Best serving as pallbearers. All other family members and her many friends will be honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions to be made to the Wendell Best Memorial Rodeo Scholarship Fund, ENMU,
1500 S Ave K, Sta 8, Portales NM 88130
Bobbie Joy Morgan Best was born on October 21, 1934, in Floyd, NM, to the home of Nellie Faye (Bruton) Morgan and R.C. “Ike” Morgan and passed away on March 25, 2023, at her home in Portales.
Joy grew up in the Floyd, NM, community where she was active in the Central Baptist Church in Roosevelt County; however, she was baptized in Dimmitt, TX, in 1944, at ten years old. As an adult, Joy was a member of the Floyd Baptist Church. Joy began school in Floyd in 1940, where she met her life-long best friend, Nina Jo Thompson Bilberry, and attended through her fifth-grade year when the family moved to Dimmitt for two years. Upon returning to Floyd, she again attended Floyd Schools where she was active in Future Homemakers of America (FHA), volleyball, softball, and 4-H. She also met the love of her life, Wendell Best, and they were married on December 29, 1952, in Portales.
Together, Wendell and Joy raised their four children, Barbara, Monte, Kent, and Kyle, on the family ranch south of Floyd. Joy remained on the ranch for 65 years until she moved to Portales in 2018. She was proud of the ranching lifestyle she and Wendell shared. Joy began her college career upon her high school graduation in 1952 and had completed 2 years when Barbara was born. She put her collegiate career on hold to stay home and raise her children. After Kyle was born, she returned to Eastern New Mexico University and finished her bachelor’s degree in Home Economics in 1970, and then pursued and completed her Master of Education degree a year later. Joy taught at ENMU for 6 years before becoming the Roosevelt County Home Economist in 1977, and then became the county director in 1985.
During her time with the NMSU Extension Service, Joy served as an officer in many local, state, and national organizations. She also received numerous state and national honors including the Governor’s Award for New Mexico Outstanding Women in 1988 and was inducted into the New Mexico 4-H Hall of Fame in 2005. Joy also had a star named after her when she received a service award from New Mexico State University. Together, Joy and Wendell were associated with the New Mexico High School Rodeo Association and the National High School Rodeo Association from 1973-2003, when they retired in order to attend their grandchildren’s sporting events, livestock shows, and rodeos.
Joy’s greatest joy in life was her family. She and Wendell took great pride in the successes of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They were also the biggest supporters of all the endeavors their family took on and were the first to brag on their accomplishments. She was “Joy” to all of her friends, but she will always be Mema to her family. Joy was looking forward to meeting her first great-great-grandchild and was proud of the living legacy her family will continue.
Joy is survived by sons Kent (Sherri) Best of Portales and Kyle (Amy) Best of Arizona; grandchildren, Wende (Wes) Fraze, Barbi (Justin) Dauer, Monica and Marissa Best, Halee (Hayden) Goff, Ryan (Shayna) Best, Reavis (Michael) Bell, Lyndsi (Sterling) Donner, Klancy (Kaysha) Best, and Trey Best; her great- grandchildren, Tayler Fraze, Toree (Payton) Williams, Ashby, John, and Jacob Dauer, Jared (Bella) Dauer, McKinley and Kaydee Goff, Warren and Waylon Bell, Brayden and Connor Donner, and Hondo and Jaycee Best. Joy is also expecting her first great-great-grandchild to be born in May. In addition, Joy is survived by her best friend of 82 years, Nina Jo Bilberry.
Joy is preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Wendell Best who died Feb. 10, 2015, her parents, Ike and Nell Morgan, sister Glenna Morgan Cooper, children Barbara Best Rogers and Monte Best, and grandchildren Arvin Lance Rogers and Heidi Kay Best.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bobbie “Joy” (Morgan) Best, please visit our floral store.
