Ezra E. Best Jr., 82, of Aleppo Township, formerly of New Brighton, died Wednesday, June 4, 2008, in The Masonic Village of Sewickley.

Born Nov. 19, 1925, in New Brighton, he was the son of the late Ezra E. Sr. and Sarah Bell Best. He was a veteran of World War II having served in the U.S. Army. Mr. Best was a member of the Chippewa United Methodist Church and had retired from Crucible Steel/Colt Industries, where he had been a chemical supervisor in the titanium division. He was also a member of the New Brighton American Legion, Anderson-Adkins Post 19. He was a Mason and a member of the Union Lodge No. 259 F&AM, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of New Castle.

He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Deborah Best Hummer and her husband Douglas, Morrisville, N.C.; a son and daughter-in-law, Stephen and Tina Best, McDonough, Ga.; his grandchildren and their spouses, Stephen and Carley Lucci, Charlotte, N.C.; Meghan and Willard Glass, Morrisville, NC.; Stephanie Schriver, Beaver Falls, and Samantha Hummer, Dallas, Texas; one great-granddaughter, Bryanna Glass, Morrisville, N.C.; a brother, Jon Best, Palm Harbor, Fla., and two sisters and brothers-in-law, Jean and Ken Partington, Columbus, Ohio, and Ruth and Robert Coffman, Marco Island, Fla.

Friends will be received Saturday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. in the HILL & KUNSELMAN FUNERAL HOME, www.hillandkunselman.com, 3801 Fourth Ave., College Hill, Beaver Falls, where a service will be held on Sunday at 2 p.m. with Dr. Daniel Stinson officiating.

The interment and committal service will be held on Monday, June 9, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. in the mausoleum chapel of Sylvania Hills Memorial Park with Dr. Stinson officiating.

The Beaver County Special Unit will meet at the cemetery on Monday at 9:10 a.m. to conduct full military rites.

A Masonic service will be conducted on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made, if desired, to the American Cancer Society, 320 Bilmar Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15205 or to the Masonic Village of Sewickley, 1000 Masonic Drive, Sewickley, Pa. 15143.