Serena Best

Serena Selenke Simon Best was born June 9th, 1933 in Grainfield, Kansas. She died at home on July 18, 2016, at the age of 83 years. Serena graduated from Flagler High School in 1951. She loved nursing and attended Mercy Hospital in Denver, graduating with a Nursing degree in 1954. Serena worked on and off while raising her 7 girls and 2 boys. She was a well-known and loving nurse at Cheyenne Wells and Burlington. Serena missed only two reunions from Mercy Hospital in 61 years. Serena married Con Simon in 1956 and moved to the family farm about 17 miles north west of Cheyenne Wells. Con died abruptly of a heart attack in 1977. In August of 1979, Serena moved to Stratton and lived at the Simon farm one half mile north of town. Serena married Bob Best in 1983 joining the Simon and Best families, 12 kids in total. Serena had 9 and Bob had 3. Serena embraced all her children, Bob's children, in-laws, grandkids, great grandkids, and anyone who entered her home. Serena attended the Catholic Church throughout her life and was an active participant in the St. Charles Church Altar and Rosary Society, sewing circle, and other church ministries. Serena had a great personality and was one of the kindest people you would ever meet. Serena and Bob played a lot of golf, traveled extensively and spent many winters in Arizona. Serena is survived by her nine children: Ellen (Warren) Nielsen of Golden, Patty (Roger) Jones of Anton, David (Colleen) Simon of Stratton, Louise (Dan) Mills of Stratton, Barbara (Justin) Rueb of Vona, Janice (Paul) Pautler of Greeley, Ted Simon of Stratton, Ann (Lonnie) Hedges of Baggs, WY, and Karen (Mike) May of Highlands Ranch. Bob's children: Jim (Sheila) Best of Boulder, Sue (Jim) Carnathan of Billings, MT, and Judy (late Dean) Wall of Tulsa, OK. Serena is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and friends.