Carole Faye (Nichols) Best went to her heavenly home on May 13, 2023, surrounded by her family. Carole was born April 27, 1943, in Stamford, Texas to Oree and Ruble Nichols.
In 1978, Carole married the love of her life, William Paul Best, Sr. They were married for 47 years.
She is preceeded in death by her love William Best, her loving parents Oree and Ruble, her sister Betty Tong, grandchildren Nicole Renee Fultz, Phillip Allen Futz, Zahara Louise Kent; great-grandchildren, Tallyn Creed Wilson, Cidney Jay Wheeler Jr., Kane Reese Mull, and Myleigh Nichole Mull.
She is survived by her children, son Nicholas, daughter Tracie and husband Larry, daughter Faedra and husband Christopher, daughter Rebecca and husband Jason; grandchildren Nicholas Jr, Tara, Sierra, Taylor, Angel, Julie, Sarah, Larry Jr, Lindsey, Ashley, Christian, Jordan, and Cole; great-grandchildren, Jaylin, Caiden, Matthew, Mina, Reece, Xander, Klaus, Kaedence, Samuel, Khloe, Zane, Wyatt, Emilie, Dakota, Jasey, Joseph VI, Pandora, Thackeray, and Victoria; nieces Erin and Bethany Tong, and many other family and friends.
A Daughter’s Memories 
Carole Fay Best 4/27/1943-5/13/2023
A lover of small town America. That allowed my brother and I to play in back alleys, prairie fields picking velvety cattails. Running freely trying to avoid the sting of the bull nettle. Probably why her children Nick, Tracie, Faedra and Rebecca have the same love of small towns. She loved music. Our home was always filled with the songs of the 1950s-1960s. Silver thread and golden needles, some velvet morning, honey, Johnny Angel and the lion sleeps tonight were a few of her favorites. Probably where I got my love of old music from. More often than not we had a record player and not a tv in our home growing up. She loved to read. She cherished stories like little women, Christopher Robin, snow queen, and the snow goose. She loved stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I am sure this is the reason she lived some of her last years in small home amongst the prairie. Before going to live with my sister Faedra. Her caregiver. I honestly believe God and momma knew Faedra had the heart and spirit to see the task was done without a thought or reservation. She loved to draw and paint. I once watched her freehand paint a Indian head from a nickel flawlessly on a glass window pane. Without even a single smudge. She was a lover of Mexican food (Texmex) and an occasional margarita. She loved going fast. I remember as a child every time we saw a railroad track, we would beg her. Momma go fast. She would hit the gas and we would fly so high that our belly’s would hit our feet. We would just roar with laughter. Daddy was never to happy with that escapade. But she would do it just for our laughter. Or then again maybe it was so she could fly also. She never stayed in one spot for long, traveling the backroads from northwest Texas to northeast Texas, living in almost every small town along the way. Loving every minute of it. She had a love of See’s chocolate , savoring every morsel of every bite. On the rare occasion of getting such a treat. She wasn’t a woman of Christianity as I grew up. But she never stopped me has a very small child from going to church. And if there was no way for me to go. She would put Oral Roberts on the tv for me to watch. She did come to know Jesus in her latter years. Talking with God to the very end of her life here on this earth. Telling us on several occasions she was ready to go home. Even though she loved her family here. She dearly missed her mom, dad and sister. Today as I reflected on my mom I am thankful that God brought these memories to my mind and heart. Momma I know you are with your family and Jesus tonight. No more pain and no more worries of this world. I know that you are rejoicing and flying high with the angels.
A Memorial Service will be held at 12:30 pm, Monday, May 22, 2023 at Lighthouse Funeral Home Chapel, 3707 Wolflin Ave, Amarillo, Texas. She will be laid to rest at Llano Cemetery at a later date.
Donations can be made in honor of Carole Best to the Life Remembered Organization.
I love you momma so very much. Thank you for everything, Pete’s dragon, Peter Pan, the rescuers, sleeping beauty, Brigadoon, and of course I remember Mama. Thank you for teaching me the love of movies, classics, and music. Mama I will miss you everyday, and every evening. I will miss telling you good night, and telling you good morning. I will learn to drink coffee by myself, and Taco Tuesday will never be the same again, Alexia misses your arguments, Bella and Pinky now sleep with me. I have no words, no tears, no feelings, to describe the pain that I feel without you here. Thank you for being my mama, thank you for loving me, and thank you for accepting me the way I am. Be at peace Mama, and know that you were loved beyond words here on this earth. Till I see you again.