WWII veteran celebrates 100th birthday with 'truckloads' of loved ones on parade

There were at least ten cars and truckloads full of family members and friends to celebrate the 100th birthday of WWII veteran and Wayne County native Winston Best.

His great nieces and nephew sang happy birthday from the back of one of the trucks.

NC State Veteran's Homes also visited his home to serve chocolate cupcakes – Best's favorite – to the family members as they rode by in their vehicles.

Best served in the Navy as a Medical Corpsman in WWII in the Pacific.

A lifetime member of the Beston United Methodist Church, he also served his faith community as a Sunday School teacher and Sunday School superintendent of his church.

Best served in other ways, too. He was one of the founding members of the New Hope Ruritan Club. He's served for 70 years – and is the only surviving member of the original founders.

After completing high school with the first graduating class of New Hope School in 1938, he married Ruth Ellis Best in 1946. They were married for 60 years and had two children, Donald and Margaret.

After a century of life, love, family and service, he was asked how it feels to be 100 years old.

“Just like it did to be 99!" he replied.

WRAL thanks Mr. Best for his years of service and wishes him the very happiest of 100th birthdays.