Miva LaVern Best, the daughter of Warnie and Ethel (Philbrook) Cargo was born on October 3, 1915 in Britton, South Dakota.  She died at the age of 98 years on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 at Trinity Medical Center in Minot, North Dakota.

Miva was raised in the home of her parents and started working for various farmers and ranches at the age of twelve.  She always said she would do anything but cook, so she milked cows, put up hay, herded cattle, and helped with dishes.  She graduated from high school in Bantry, North Dakota.  While in school, she participated in basketball and softball.  She loved most all sports and in the last twenty years was an avid fan from her easy chair.  She and her sister loved to attend dances and that is where she met her future husband.  She was united in marriage to William “Roy” Best on November 21, 1938 in Towner, North Dakota.  In 1944, they bought the ranch that Roy’s parents established in 1909.  Over the years, they raised mostly Black Angus cattle and horses.  Miva helped with every aspect of the ranch from branding, haying, rounding up cattle, fencing, and helped Roy overhaul tractors and fix machinery.  Along with that, she had big gardens, canned and froze produce, cooked hardy, country meals and baked many unforgettable breads and sweets.  Miva and Roy both raced POA chariot horses.  Roy died July 31, 1990. Miva continued to live at the ranch until 1998 when she moved to Minot.  She visited the ranch nearly every day during the summer where she enjoyed driving out to the hayfield and sitting on the deck watching the activity in the yard.  She shared many stories with her grandchildren about life on the land she loved.  The ranch was always home.

Miva and Roy were blessed with three daughters, Charleen, Renee and Becky.  She always supported them in their school and church activities along with horse shows and rodeos.  She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Women Association, ND Cattle Women, ND Stockman’s Association, National Cattlemen’s Association, Republican Party, ND Farm Bureau and the Souris River Racing Association.  She was dedicated to her husband and children.  They were blessed for sharing her life.

Miva is survived by her children, Renee Best-Officer of Minot and Becky (Gary) Field of Minot and Towner; grandchildren and great grandchildren, Shane Lester of Newburg, Ginger (David) Podoll of Fullerton, Shelly (Jay) Obergfell, their children, Devon, Austin, and Kordell of Fairview, MT, Chad (Michelle) Stark, their children, Austin, Kortni, and Samantha of Sedro-Woolley, WA, Troy Stark of Minnetonka, MN, Shanna (John) Maynor, their children, Jaryn, Bennett and Teylor of Minot; step-grandson, Eric Field, his children, Kayden, Gabriel, and Gavin of Minot; a sister, Myrtle Fisher of Minot; son-in-law, Lloyd (Sammie) Lester of Fairview, MT; many nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends.  She was preceded in death by her husband; a daughter, Charleen Lester; son-in-law, Mike Officer; brother, Clyde (Virginia) Cargo; sisters, Gertrude (Wesley) Naslund and Betty (Ceicil) Gibbs.

Condolences may be shared with the family at the following addresses:  Renee Best-Officer, 808 8^th Street NW, Minot, ND 58703 or Becky Field 3218 10^th Street SW, Minot, ND  58701.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 10 at First Presbyterian Church in Towner with burial in the Union Cemetery.  Rev. Don Andrews, officiating.

Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Friday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Towner and will continue on Saturday for one hour prior to the time of services at the church.