Worthington High Schools Alumni Club - Deceased Classmates
First Name
Cheryl Lynn
Maiden Name
Poling
Last Name
Best
Passing Date
5/19/2023
Class Attended
1966
High School
Worthington High School
Beloved mother, sister, and devoted friend of people, animals, and nature, Cheryl Lynn Best (nee Poling) passed away at her home in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, May 19, 2023, following a year-long battle with cancer. Born at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, on April 21, 1948, to Kenneth Eugene and Marilyn Rose Poling, Cheryl celebrated her 75th birthday just a few weeks before passing. She is survived by her children Michael (Heather) Best, Megan Best (Shaun Cox); her siblings Ken (Cindy) Poling, Tammy (Bill) Fullerton; nephew, Will Fullerton; niece, Delaney Fullerton; her beloved dog, Otis; and cats, Perry, Stretch, and Eeka; as well as numerous dear cousins, extended family, and a lifetime of friends. Family and friends are invited to her Celebration of Life on Saturday, June 3rd, from 12-4pm, at the Big Meadows Picnic Area of Highbanks Metro Park, 9466 US Rt 23 N, Lewis Center, OH, 43035. Cheryl’s family settled in the Worthington area of Columbus, Ohio, after several moves in her early childhood. Cheryl enjoyed playing sports with the neighbors and exploring the woods along the Olentangy River in her neighborhood, where she fell in love with her first tree, a sycamore that she named Ol’ Gooseneck, which still stands to this day. She attended Worthington High School and played on the Women’s Junior Varsity Volleyball team, participated in Ensemble Club, Choir, and Thespians, graduating in 1966. After high school, Cheryl attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and graduated with a degree in Communications in 1970. After graduating, she began her her professional career at WJW-TV in the Cleveland area where she worked as a Mass-Media Sales and Public Relation Executive. Cheryl changed careers several times throughout her life, her longest role being as the Public Relations Coordinator for Hilliard City Schools. Her most beloved role being her several positions working with children as a preschool teacher. As a child and teen, Cheryl spent summers with her grandparents in Crystal River, Florida, diving off bridges and swimming with manatees. Crystal River was a cherished place and she returned often, eventually meeting John Ernest Best, falling in love with him, and marrying him in 1976. After marrying, she and John moved to the mountains outside of Newport, TN, where her two children, Michael Sol and Megan Star, were born. After separating from the children’s father, she returned to Worthington to be closer to her parents. She always loved the biological diversity, culture, music, and history of the Appalachian Mountains and had planned to spend her final years there, before becoming ill. Cheryl was known for her compassion for all living things. She deeply cared for the wellbeing of all animals, wild and domestic. She was a vegetarian and couldn’t stand the thought of animals suffering to provide food for her. She adopted, rescued, and assisted with rehoming hundreds of animals throughout the years. She was particularly fond of cats and recently determined she had owned close to 30 cats in her lifetime. She also cared deeply for human rights and social justice and was an outspoken advocate for the rights of marginalized persons. She attended local protests in Columbus and several marches in Washington DC. During the COVID outbreak, she organized a car march in support of Black Lives Matter, giving elderly and disabled supporters an opportunity to safely participate in the movement. Cheryl was also strongly connected to the natural world and spending time outside. She loved identifying wildflowers, hiking and kayaking, and exploring the Ohio prairies and forests. She also volunteered for a variety of outdoor projects from marshland restoration, to flood debris clean up, to trail maintenance. Her enthusiasm and passion for nature was irresistible and often inspired others to become captivated by the natural world too. She was also a natural leader and teacher. She led her daughter’s Girls Scout troop for many years and was well-loved for her non-traditional approach. Instead of focusing on merit badges, she encouraged the girls to be independent, critical thinkers, to develop leadership and communications skills, to build campfires on their own, to be brave in fearful times and take care of each other. She especially loved teaching and spending time with the young children in her family and in her preschool positions. She shared their sense of wonder at the world and found great reward in encouraging them to explore, learn, and grow. Cheryl loved her family and her friends deeply. She believed in the people she loved, wanted the very best for them, and supported them however she could, offering everything from a shoulder to cry on to practical advice. She loved Ohio, the Appalachian Mountains, Iceland, British and Scottish culture, bagpipe music, bodysurfing, roller-skating, Lipton tea, fried oysters, ice cream, reading novels, historical dramas, amusement parks, road trips, old trees, collecting rocks, correcting grammar, and spending time with her loved ones. Mostly, she just loved. She loved her children, her family, her friends, and the world we all inhabit. While this world is less bright for some of us now, it is a better place for all of us because of her time here and her love. And we are forever grateful.
