| Notes |
- Ralph J. Bassett, son of Ernest and Grace (Bass) Bassett, was born 29
Jul 1912 in Marion Township, Shelby County, Indiana on the family fa
State Road 9. He died 7 Sep 2001 in Bradner Village Health Care Cent
Marion, Grant County, Indiana. Ralph was the fourth child. He spent his first
12 years on the farm in Shelby County until moving to Kokomo in 1924. He lived
at 415 W. Jefferson Street in Kokomo with his parents and family from 1924 to
1926. Ralph then moved to 1017 N. Courtland where he lived until his marriage.
Ralph's first job was with SS Kresge in Kokomo beginning in 1926. He
worked for 4 years all through high school. Ralph was president of his high
school class his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He graduated from Kokomo
High School in 1930. In 1930 after graduation, he moved to Fort Wayne to
attend International College. In 1932 he received a diploma in Business
Administration. Classes cost $25 per month. To work his way through school,
Ralph worked at Throps Restaurant 2 hours in the morning and 1 hour in the
evening. For his work there, he received 3 meals a day and 35 cents an hour
for any hours over 3 hours a day. He met his future wife, Elizabeth (Sally)
Almeta Brickley, working at Throps Restaurant.
After graduation from International College, Ralph and Sally got
married on Monday 16 May 1932 at Plymouth, Indiana at the Methodist Parsonage
by Rev. Ross Shannon while out on an automobile ride. Sally was the daughter
of Grover Cleveland and Fern (Wilson) Brickley. She was born 2 Sep 1912 in
Union Township, Wells County, Indiana.
Ralph returned to work for SS Kresge in Kokomo from 1932 until 1933.
Ralph bought his first car in 1932. It was a 1929 4 door Plymouth and he paid
$150 for it. He drove his family to the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago in his
new car. He next purchased a 1932 Ford V8 in 1934. He was then transferred to
the SS Kresge in New Albany. While in New Albany, they lived on Spring Street.
It cost $17 for the moving company to move their entire house full of goods.
In 1933, he went to work for his father at the Ernest Bassett Coal Company and
worked there until 1939. Ralph and Sally bought their first home in 1935 in
Kokomo for $1,000, paying $100 down and $12 per month at 4 1/2 % interest. The
U.S. Government bought the land for $1975 in 1937 and Ralph had 30 days to
move the house to another location. After leaving his father's compa
start farming, Ralph worked at many different places. A summary follow
1939-1947 Ralph farmed 130 acres in Wabash County on the America Road and
State Road 124. Ralph was drafted in the Fall of 1944, passes his
physical, but the war ended before he served any time. Ralph worked
at the Wabash General Tire plant from 1943 to 1944 on the night
shift working the retread machine. General Tire was the largest war
time supplier of gas masks for the U.S. Army.
1947-1948 Ralph worked at the Treaty Grain Elevator. He lived on old State
Road 15 in Lafountaine.
1948-1952 Ralph farmed 104 acres in Grant County just east of Mari
Bradford Pike. The barn was destroyed in 1948 by a tornado. The farm
was purchased for $12,000.
1949-1950 Ralph worked for Bursley's Wholesale Foods.
1950-1956 Ralph and Sally owned and operated the Jiffy Grill located at 5th
and Adams, northeast corner, in Marion. They lived at 1806 South
Washington Street from 1952 to 1955. They moved into a new house on
Wabash Road on 4 Jul 1955 and lived there until selling in 1969. The
home was built for $17,000.
1956-1958 Ralph was a supervisor at Canton Glass in Marion.
1958-1959 Ralph worked at a Cabinet Company in Ft. Lauderdale, Florid
1959-1959 Ralph owned Haisley Corner, a truck stop at State Roads 37 and 35
south of Marion.
1960-1961 Ralph was an accountant for Charlie Carrico, Anderson, Indiana.
1961-1963 Ralph was an auditor for Carrico Furniture.
1963-1965 Ralph bought Charlie Wheeler's heavy duty truck sales called Marion
White Sales & Service. He moved it to State Road 9. He sold it to
Howard Dragstrom.
1965-1969 Ralph had an accounting private practice. He also got his re
estate license. He moved to a house on Lake Tippecanoe in 1969 and
lived there until 1970.
1970-1970 Ralph worked for Datsun in Ft. Wayne.
1970-1971 Ralph worked for Northway Chrysler in Ft. Wayne. He moved to an
apartment at the Chateau Apartments on Taylor Road and Ardmo
Road and then moved to a house at 1703 Hawthorne Road fr
1970 until 1973.
1971-1973 Ralph worked for AMC in Ft. Wayne. Ralph was the secretary a
treasurer for Fort Wayne American Inc. AMC. He retired in 19
at the age of 61. He bought a house on 3rd Street in Marion in 1972.
He renovated it and moved into the house in 1973. He sold th
house in 1975 and moved to Florida.
1973-1978 Ralph and Sally lived in a mobile home in Kissimmee, Florid
1979- Ralph and Sally built a home on State Road 124 in Wabash County in
1979, 1 mile west of the original farm on America Road (formerly
called Largo Road). He bought 1 acre of land from his broth
Harold to build this farm.
Anniversaries
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bassett
Bassetts to celebrate 65th anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bassett, 710 Robert Ave., will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary with an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. June 15 in First Friends Church, 2211 N. Wabash.
Ralph and Elizabeth (Sally) Brickley were married in Plymouth on May 16, 1932.
Mr. Bassett is a retired accountant. Mrs. Bassett is a homemaker.
They have two children, Delaine Highley, Marion, and Roger (Carol), Roselle, Ill. They also have four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
The couple requests that gifts be omitted.
Ralph J. Bassett
July 29, 1912 - Sept. 7, 2001
Ralph J. Bassett, 89, 1256 N. 400W, died at 9:40 a.m. Friday in
Bradner Village Health Care Center.
He was born in Shelbyville to the late Ernest and Grace (Bass)
Bassett. He was a resident of the Marion and Wabash area for many years. He
married Elizabeth A. (Brickley) on May 16, 1932. She survives. He was t
former owner of the Jiffy Grill, Haisley's Corner and Marion White Sales and
Service.
Mr. Bassett was a member of the First Friends Church, Mario
Also surviving are a daughter, Delaine Highley; a son, Roger (Carol),
Roselle, Ill; a sister, Helen Cosand, Kokomo; four grandchildren, Robin, Tracy
Emmons, Perry and Jeffrey; and 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Ellen Cooley, and two
brothers, William and Harold.
Graveside services are at 10 a.m. Monday in the Horeb cemetery,
Uniondale, with pastor George Taylor and the Rev. Reynold Bohleen officiating.
Visitation is 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Needham-Storey-Wampner Funeral
Service, North Chapel, 1341 N. Baldwin Ave.
Memorials may be made to the First Friends Church, 2211 N. Waba
Ave., Marion, Ind. 46952.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1912 - 2001 (89 years)