| Notes |
- Connecticut Post, Bridgeport, Connecticut, Wednesday, 24 September 2025
William C. Bassett
March 23, 1944 ? September 20, 2025
William (Bill) Charles Bassett, 81, of Southbury CT, passed away with beloved family by his side on September 20, 2025, due to complications from pancreatic cancer.
Bill was born in New Haven on March 23, 1944, the son of the late William and Doris (Morley) Bassett. He grew up in Woodbridge, CT. After graduating from Amity High School, he left home to attend Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, OH. During his sophomore year, he met the love of his life, Judy Prasse. They were married soon after graduation in 1966. Bill received his MBA at Washington University in St. Louis in 1968 and then he and Judy moved to Southbury, CT where he lived for over 57 years.
Bill worked at The W.E. Bassett Company for his entire career. The business was started by his father and then run by his uncle, Harry Bassett, until Bill was ready to take over in 1981. Bill served as President and CEO starting in 1981 and later served as Chairman of the Board until the company was sold in 2011. He was extremely proud of the millions of nail clippers, tweezers, and other personal care products that were produced and distributed around the world under the TRIM brand and various private label brands.
Bill was a great leader, strategic thinker, and master delegator. When asked what he most loved about his years at The Bassett Company, he always responded "the people." He took the time to walk the floor of both plants, tried to remember as many names as possible, and stopped to ask about their families and personal lives. More than anything, Bill wanted to continue Harry's legacy of the Company serving as a steward in the Lower Naugatuck Valley by providing for families and charitable organizations throughout the community.
Bill was also an effective leader outside of the office, bringing those talents to both for-profit and non-profit organizations. He was a member of many non-profit boards over the years, serving as chair on several of them. Most notable was his long-standing board tenure as Chair of The Birmingham Group, now BHcare, and was a founding member of the Valley Community Foundation, of which he was extremely proud. He was an active supporter of many community organizations including BHcare, TEAM Inc., the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Spooner House, the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Valley United Way, Griffin Hospital, the Boy Scouts & the Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, Oak Cliff Cemetery Association, and Merrymeeting Lake Association. Bill also supported the private sector and was a board member with the Southbury Zoning Commission, Great Country Bank, Woodbury Telephone SNET, and Latex Foam International. He thoroughly enjoyed collaborating and networking through his TEC/Vistage Groups, MAC Casualty, and the Summit Group of ad specialty professionals.
Over the years, Bill received many awards and honors in recognition of his service to the community. These awards included the Champion of Youth Award by the Boys and Girls Club, the Charles H. Flynn Humanitarian Award by the Valley United Way, both the Gold and Platinum Seal Awards by the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement Hall of Fame, and was recognized by Connecticut's National Philanthropy Day Hall of Fame.
Bill was an active member of his church, UCC Southbury, and loved being referred to as one of the "church elders." He led by example on multiple committees and was ever-present for a long list of events and church-related activities. He was especially active on Buildings & Grounds, ad-hoc committees, and previously served as Chair of Church Council.
In addition to Southbury, Bill loved the time he and Judy were able to spend at their New Hampshire lake house, as well as their winters spent in Florida. The lake holds special memories of time spent with their kids and grandkids. This included "Camp Bassett", when the grandchildren would visit alone for a week. He also helped organize amazing lobster boils every Labor Day for friends and neighbors on the lake. Together, Bill and Judy were blessed to be able to travel, taking many trips and cruises all over the world with special friends over the years.
Bill is survived by his three children, Lynne (Craig) Perry of Southbury, Betsy (Anthony) DePaolo of Cheshire and Bill Bassett of Easton. He adored his seven grandchildren ? Lauren and Christopher Perry; Ali and AJ DePaolo; Will, Maeve and Charlie Bassett. He is also survived by his brother David Bassett, brother-in-law Donny Bradford, sisters-in-law Jane Taft and Beth (Rich) Seeley and daughter-in-law Julia Bassett. He also leaves many cousins, nieces, and nephews. In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by his brother Richard Bassett, in-laws Herb and Betty Prasse, and in-laws Herb Jr. and Ellen Prasse.
The family offers special thanks to the healthcare providers at Pomperaug Woods, Yale New Haven Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital.
Family and friends are invited to attend calling hours on Wednesday, October 1st from 4:00pm?7:00pm at Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home in Southbury (235 Main Street North). A Celebration of Life will be held at United Church of Christ, Southbury (283 Main Street North) on October 2nd at 11:00am. A private service will be held at the Memorial Wall (columbarium) at United Church of Christ, Southbury at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are by Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home: www.munsonloveterefuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Valley Foundation Fund at the Valley Community Foundation. This fund was initially established by Harry Bassett over 40 years ago to support community and leadership-building initiatives. Donations can be mailed to the Valley Community Foundation at 253-A Elizabeth Street, Derby CT 06418 (please note Bill Bassett in memo) or via online link: www.valleyfoundation.org.
Dictated by Henry (Harry) Bassett
February 19, 1986
The W.E. Bassett Company Manicure Implements
The W.E. Bassett Company is an excellent example of what can be accomplished in our country by imagination, dreams and ambition. My brother, William, age 25, was ambitious and he had a dream of going into business for himself where he could be his own boss and take the chance of succeeding or failing. He attempted this under the most wonderful system that has ever existed in this world; the Free Enterprise system that we have in the United States.
Having started in a small wooden structure on Francis Street in Derby, Connecticut as a contract machine shop in 1939, he later progessed to rubber heel washers for the largest rubber heel manufacturer in the world, known as "Catspaw" Rubber Heels. During World War II the company manufactured various small munition parts as a sub-contractor. Shortly after the war, he took a step that developed into the present successful Manicure manufacturing business. He developed a fingernail clipper, the likes of which had never been known. The design and manufacturing methods were new, but most importantly, this clipper was of an exceptional quality, and as such the "TRIM" Nail Clipper captured a worldwide market.
In 1952 the company moved into a new plant on Roosevelt Drive in Derby, Connecticut. During the next twenty years, there were five plant expansions totaling 40M square feet. In 1978 a new plant was built in Shelton, Connecticut, totaling 40M square feet.
For many years we had one Manicure item, mainly a TRIM Fingernail Clipper. This one item has been added to many times so that today there are more than sixteen items and all are packaged in different ways and sold throughout the United States and many of the free countries of the world.
My brother, William, had the ability to gather people around him that were capable and who loved to work. It was possible to build a quality TRIM Nail Clipper because the most modern methods were used and the most dedicated people worked at the Bassett Company. That Fingernail Clipper sold for 25 cents from the year 1947 to the year 1970. Although our methods improved constantly, inflation out-distanced our modern machinery so that today that Trim Fingernail Clipper sells for 80 cents.
As mentioned before, the Trim Nail Clipper was the best nail clipper that was manufactured any place in the world, at a price that people could afford. Today we do have much competition, both domestic and foreign, however, it is safe to say that the TRIM Nail Clipper is the leader in its field. We have not sacrificed our quality. We know this because we receive many unsolicited letters praising our constant attention to the quality of our products.
The second generation is now operating the company and many of our people in the plant are second generation. Henry W. Bassett, Chairman of the Board, started with the company in 1943. William C. Bassett, son of William E. Bassett, founder, is now President, having started work in 1968. David J. Bassett, the founder's youngest son, is the Manager of the Shelton, Connecticut plant. He started working for the company in 1973. John J. Kronen, our Controller and Vice President of Finance, started in 1965. V. Craig Finney, Sales Manager of Advertising Specialty and Special Markets, joined the company in 1978. Ronald J. Cappellieri, Sales Manager of Domestic, Export and Heirloom, started work in 1981.
|
Bassett Family Association Database
1944 - 2025 (81 years)