Bassett Family Association Database

Margaret Jane Penrose

Female 1925 - 2016  (91 years)


Personal Information    |    PDF

  • Name Margaret Jane Penrose 
    Born 30 May 1925  Ironwood, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 5 Aug 2016  California Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • Daneri Mortuary, August 2016
      Margaret Jane Bassett (Picture included)
      May 30, 1925 ? August 5, 2016

      Margaret Jane Bassett, age 91, of Jackson, CA, passed away Friday, August 5, 2016, with her loving family by her side. Margaret was born in Ironwood, MI on May 30, 1925, a daughter of the late Elizabeth (Lidstone) and Alfred Alexander Penrose.

      With the depression in full swing, when Margaret was 6 years old, her parents moved the family west to Jackson, California where Alfred found work in the Argonaut and Kennedy Mines. The family found a temporary place to stay in the rear of the home of George Chuma at Kennedy Flat in Martell. They remained there until Alfred was able to secure rent on property owned by the Marre Family on Butte Mountain Road, just outside of Jackson. From there, Margaret and her siblings walked cross-country every day to attend Aetna School near the Middle Bar Road area off Highway 49. Shortly after moving to their new home, Margaret?s father was able to see his lifelong dream of owning and operating a dairy, become a reality. With their older brother, Al, finding employment in town, Margaret and her two sisters, Evelyn and Joan, were left to learn the hard work involved in the twice-daily milking of the cows, cleaning and sanitizing the milk barn, milk cans and bottles, bottling and capping the milk, and readying it for delivery. In addition, with no running water in the home, the girls had to haul water daily from a nearby spring on the property. Their mother would wash, boil and sanitize the bottles for the next days? milk production. Evelyn, being the oldest, would drive her father?s truck, while Joan and Margaret would get out of the truck and deliver the milk to the doorsteps of many, many homes in Jackson. The Penrose Dairy was a successful and respected business in Jackson. Sometime later, Alfred was able to secure the purchase of the ranch property across the road from the old dairy operation and continue with milking the cows and delivering milk. His grandson, David, later purchased the ranch from his grandmother and continues ranching on the property today.

      After elementary school, Margaret attended Jackson High School, graduating in 1943, and then gaining full-time employment at the Bank of America in Jackson, under the tutelage of Evelyn Giannini. All this time, she also continued helping her father with the dairy business. When Margaret was 21 years of age, she met the love of her life, Harold ?Sam? Bassett, at a dance at the old Milligan School on Clinton Road. They were married 3 months later in July 1946, until his passing in August of 2002. After marriage, Margaret continued working at the bank and helping her father with the dairy business. Her first child, David, was born in April of 1947 and Margaret gave up her position with the bank. She did, however, continue helping her father with the dairy and delivering milk. As the result of an accident, her father had broken his back and required more assistance. Because she had stepped in and continued helping him with milk deliveries and the dairy operation, her father deeded her and Harold enough property to build their own home. She and Harold went on to have 6 more children in the next 16 years. All 7 of their children chose to also make their homes in Amador County, many of them finding their permanent homes at various locations on Butte Mountain Road as well. As a matter of fact, Margaret spent the majority of her 91 years living in the same location on Butte Mountain Road. After Harold?s passing in 2002, she continued living in their family home that Harold had built, where she was living until her death. Margaret was never so happy as when she had a new baby in her arms and with all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her arms were nearly always as full as her heart. Her family was her life and she took pride in making and maintaining a wonderful home for all of them.

      Margaret is survived by her daughters, Susan Dorris (Jesse) of Sutter Creek, CA; Barbara Hale (Herb, Jr.), Mardell Anderson (Mark), Lorna Marques (Tony); sons, David Bassett (Stephanie), William Bassett (Kookie), Clay Bassett (Vicky), sisters, Evelyn Cuneo and Joan Dal Porto all of Jackson. She is also survived by grandchildren, Randy Bassett, Carrie Bassett, Mike Dorris, Nicole Nigra, Drew Dorris, Christie Cellini, Sarah Horton, Kabrina McPartland, Heather Ferris, Tiffany Wilmshurst, Caleb Marques, Aubry Bassett, Eli Bassett, and Kalynn Bassett, as well as 13 great-grandchildren. She was preceded by her husband of 56 years, Harold "Sam" Bassett in 2002 and brother, Alfred Penrose, Jr.

      Friends and family are invited to attend a funeral service on Wednesday, August 10, 2016, 11:00 A.M. at Daneri Mortuary in Jackson. Interment will be private at the Garden of Valor, Sunset View Cemetery in Jackson. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to STARS, PO Box 208, Jackson, CA 95642.
    Person ID I17802  14B Jean Besset of Quebec
    Last Modified 1 Sep 2016 

    Family Harold Peter Bassett,   b. 9 Dec 1916, Alameda County, California Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Aug 2002, Jackson, Amador County, California Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years) 
    Children 
     1. Living
     2. Living
     3. Living
     4. Living
     5. Living
     6. Living
     7. Living
    Last Modified 1 Sep 2016 
    Family ID F6633  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart