{"id":1664,"date":"2026-06-04T23:28:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T23:28:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/?page_id=1664"},"modified":"2026-06-05T18:58:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T18:58:34","slug":"remembering-mayor-fred-best","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/remembering-mayor-fred-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Mayor Fred Best"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1664\" class=\"elementor elementor-1664\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f02ddf e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5f02ddf\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0502d81 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0502d81\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-03d202b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"03d202b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Remembering Mayor Best<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce23579 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ce23579\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-89a7aec e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"89a7aec\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a01f0dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a01f0dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Remembering Mayor Fred Best, 1934-2025<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c43b3dd elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"c43b3dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ccd8d4c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ccd8d4c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Fred Best left behind an incredible legacy of leadership, service, and dedication to the Town of Clarenville. Arriving in Clarenville in 1965, Fred devoted his life to education and community, serving first as a teacher at Clarenville High and later for 26 years as principal of the elementary school alongside his wife, Louise.<\/p><p>Fred\u2019s impact was felt most strongly through his remarkable 36 years in municipal politics, including 32 years as Mayor from 1981\u20132013. He believed deeply in local government and the power of helping people directly and efficiently. During his leadership, Clarenville experienced tremendous growth, including the amalgamation with Shoal Harbour and the continued development of the town as a major service and economic hub for the province.<\/p><p>Fred often spoke proudly about the people of Clarenville \u2014 its spirit of cooperation, diversity, volunteerism, and boldness. His leadership was rooted in common sense, optimism, and a genuine love for the community.<\/p><p>In recognition of his lifelong dedication, Fred received Memorial University\u2019s Alumni Award for Outstanding Community Service in 2011.<\/p><p>Fred Best\u2019s legacy will continue to shape Clarenville for generations to come. His vision, leadership, and unwavering belief in the town and its people will never be forgotten.<\/p><p>Fred passed away on June 21, 2025 at the age of 90.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paultilley.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.paultilley.ca<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8e4600 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e8e4600\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6060d91 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6060d91\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1044\" height=\"1196\" src=\"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FredBest.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1686\" alt=\"fredbest\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FredBest.jpg 1044w, https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FredBest-262x300.jpg 262w, https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FredBest-894x1024.jpg 894w, https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FredBest-768x880.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px\"  title=\"Remembering Mayor Fred Best\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-292d18a elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"292d18a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bdd5b95 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bdd5b95\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/MayorBest-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1685\" alt=\"mayorbest\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/MayorBest-1.jpg 750w, https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/MayorBest-1-234x300.jpg 234w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\"  title=\"Remembering Mayor Fred Best\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Remembering Mayor Best Remembering Mayor Fred Best, 1934-2025 Fred Best left behind an incredible legacy of leadership, service, and dedication to the Town of Clarenville. Arriving in Clarenville in 1965, Fred devoted his life to education and community, serving first as a teacher at Clarenville High and later for 26 years as principal of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"unboxed","site-sidebar-style":"unboxed","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"enabled","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1664","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1664"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1773,"href":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1664\/revisions\/1773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clarenville.ca\/75th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}