Funeral services for Maxine Staten Best, 86 of Marshall will be held at 10 a.m., Friday December 18, 2015 in the chapel of Downs Funeral Home with Bro. David Rice officiating. Interment will follow in Algoma North Cemetery. A time of visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m., Thursday December 17, 2015 at the funeral home. Mrs. Best passed away December 15, 2015.

Maxine Staten Best was born January 8, 1929 in Minden, Louisiana to E. Herbert Staten and Alberta Wilcox Staten. Maxine attended Centenary College where she received her Bachelor's degree and then attended LSU where she received her Master's in Education. She was a teacher with Elysian Fields ISD and retired from Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD in 1995. On November 24, 1955 she married James Terrell Best in Homer, Louisiana. He later preceded her in death on November 2, 2010. Maxine was a member of Crossroads Baptist Church. She was also a member of Friends of Public Library, Harrison Co. Historical Museum, Harrison Co. Historical Museum Library and the Texas Retired Teachers Association.

Surviving Maxine are sons, James T. "Jamie" Best Jr. and wife Beth of Copperas Cove, TX, John Staten Best and wife Shan of Marshall; one daughter, Laurie Suzanne Wyman of Marshall; 5 grandchildren, James T. "Jay" Best, Brendan Ross Wyman, Justin Todd Wyman, Shaina Marie Stansbury and Ashley Nicole Stansbury; one great-granddaughter, Alexa Nicole Stansbury; and one brother, Bobby Herman Staten of Magnolia, AR. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and sister, Eva Staten Peters.

Memorials may be made in her name to Crossroads Baptist Church Building Fund and Friends of a Public Library or charity of choice.