Bertis Wade Best, 85, of Woodville, passed away Saturday, October 24, 2026 at Dogwood Trails Manor in Woodville, Texas.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, October 28, 2026 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home in Woodville.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home with burial to follow in Campground Cemetery all in Woodville. Officiating will be Brother Mark Tolar. Serving as pallbearers will be Hunter Perkins, Santiago Diaz, Jared Perry, Aaron Slacum, Jake Bradley, Cullen Schrader and Brandon Best.
Bertis was born May 26, 1941 to Bergen Wade and Sylvia Lois Miles Best in Woodville, Texas. A 1959 graduate of Kirby High School, he was a longtime resident of Tyler County. Bertis was a bank officer with both Jasper Federal and later First National Bank of Jasper, Woodville branch. He had been active in the Woodville Lion’s Club and the Woodville Volunteer Fire Department. He was on the Cypress Creek Water Board and the scholarship committee for Chuck Fortenberry. He had been instrumental in the naming of the Chuck Fortenberry Post Office in Woodville. Bertis was a member of the First Baptist Church in Woodville.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Wade Best and Sylvia Lois Best Shoemaker; wife of 61 years, Nancy Jayne Fortenberry Best.
He is survived by his daughter, Janet Best Bradley and husband Chuck of Orange; son, Bryan Best and wife Priscilla of Brenham; brother, Bobby Jack Best and wife Linda of Bullard; in-laws, Cecil Fortenberry and wife Margie, and Mary Ann Fortenberry; grandchildren, Julia Perkins and husband Hunter, Cassandra Diaz and husband Santiago, Brianna Perry and husband Jared, Amanda Slacum and husband Aaron, Jake Bradley and wife Morghan, and Alanna Schrader and husband Cullen, and Brandon Best; great grandchildren, Santiago Diaz, Gabriela Diaz, Reese Slacum, Evan Slacum, Adrian Slacum, Victoria Perry, Charlotte Perry, Waylon Bradley, Porter Perkins, Wyatt Perkins, Wesley Schrader, Lydia Bradley, and Layla Schrader.
Memorials may be made to Campground Cemetery Association, 541 CR 2080, Woodville, Texas 75979.
The family wants to thank our longtime caregiver, Amanda Lewis, the staff at Heart to Heart Hospice and Melissa Walsh, and the staff at Dogwood Trails Manor for the exemplary care they all provided.
Services are under the direction of Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home in Woodville.
