| Notes |
- SOURCES:
BIRTH: CA Birth Index:
William Edward Basset;t Birth Date: 7 Oct 1935 Gender: Male Mother's Maiden Name: Johnson Birth County: Los Angeles [Wilmar] [Ron Bassett has copy of the birth certificate]
DEATH:
1. Died in the Mayo Hospital, Phoenix, AZ on 29 May 2002.
Death connected with several strokes and a heart infection.
2. BASSETT, William Edward; 66; Wilmar CA, Phoenix AZ; Arizona Republic newspaper; 2002-61
THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Copyright (c) 2002, DATE: Saturday, June 1, 2002
EDITION: Final Chaser, SECTION: Valley & State, PAGE: B4 Funeral Notice
OBITUARIES
William Edward Bassett, 66, died in Phoenix on May 29, 2002. He was born in Wilmar, California and grew up in Winslow, Arizona. He graduated from Arizona State College (ASU) in 1957, the same year he earned his private pilot license. He was an Air Force pilot for 9 years. He later flew for United Airlines, retiring as a 767 Captain in 1995. Flying was his passion. He flew everything from helicopters to 747s and F-86s to B-52s. He was also a flight instructor and aircraft mechanic. He is survived by his wife, Meryl Stirling Bassett, sons Neal, Chuck and Bryan, daughter-in-law Deanna, grandchildren Brianna and Donavan, sister Caroline Lowman and brothers Ron and Guy Bassett. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to Hospice of the Valley 1510 E. Flower Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85014.
(Note: Captain Bassett also flew KC-135 refueling aircraft in Viet Nam, and was stationed at Mather AFB, Ca.)
BURIAL: Buried on 3 June 2002, National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ. buried with military honors.
William E Bassett; Veteran's Rank: CAPT, Branch: US Air Force, Last known address: 23029 North Cave Creek Road Phoenix, AZ 85024. Birth Date: 7 Oct 1935, Death Date: 29 May 2002. Veteran Service Start Date: 29 Sep 1957 Veteran Service End Date: 20 Jul 1966. Interment Date: 3 Jun 2002, Cemetery: National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. Buried At: Section 50 Site 1123. Cemetery URL: <http://www.cem.va.gov/nchp/nmca.htm>
BIOGRAPHY:
Background:
Bill’s parents divorced when he was very young, and the break up was very painful for his mother. Although she accepted the child care funds, she would not allow visits between father and son, and she never told him that his father made numerous attempts to visit. Christmas and birthday gifts were sent, but may never have been given to Bill.
His father moved from Arizona to California and married again several years later to Blanche F. Bayer. During WWII, Bill Bassett, Sr., was in the Navy in the South Pacific and after the war the marriage broke up, but produced another son, Ronald Lynn Bassett.
Bill, Sr. married Dorothy Bauer, and in 1957 they had a son, Guy E. Bassett. Bill’s mother also remarried and had a daughter, Caroline. But he was never told there was a half-brother, although their father had told her.
When their grandmother, Estella Walker Bassett, died in 1962, Bill’s high school graduation card and photo was found in her things, and was given to grandson Ron. He spent the next 11 years searching for the older brother he never knew and was able to locate Bill’s mother in 1972, and she informed Bill about his younger brother. Not long after that they made mail and phone contact and in May 1973 the brothers met for the first time in front of the Disneyland Hotel - then had dinner at Ron’s mother’s with their Uncle Bob Bassett and his wife Irean. Bob and Irean had cared for Billy when he was a boy. The next day the brothers flew to San Jose, CA., to meet younger brother Guy Bassett, his mother, Dorothy; their Aunt Betty (Bassett) Foote, and cousin Norman Foote.
From there they flew on to the Seattle, WA, area for several days so Ron could get to know Bill’s family. The two went deep-sea fishing prior to Ron departing for a yearlong remote assignment to Alaska. Meryl, Bill’s wife kept track of conversations during the stay and prior to Ron leaving she surprised the brothers by reviewing a list she had made of “coincidences” between the brothers. These included favorite foods, involvement in youth organizations (DeMolay and Boy Scouts) and both having been in the Air Force at the same time, as well as a number of similar life experiences.
In March 1997, Ron and Guy flew to Prescott AZ., and spent several days with their brother. This was the only time the three sons of William Walker Bassett ever spent time together, and it was during the week of their father’s birthday. Bill took them down to Skull Valley, where their Grandfather, Guy William Bassett, had served as the railroad stationmaster. They presented a photo of their grandfather standing in front of the station, at the rail switch, to the station museum now on the site. It might be noted that the three sons of William Walker Bassett were all born in California.
Some things that Bill shared with his brothers:
He never had any contact with his father. Letters and gifts were never given to him by his mother. He did get a bike and a radio and said he knew of one request for a visit that his mother refused. He had no idea of how his high school graduation card and photo got to his grandmother.
After her death the photo and card was given to Ron, and starting an 11 year search for his older brother. The card was the key to finding Bill, as Ron con tacted the Winslow AZ High School in hopes there was a class reunion group. The letter was answered by the principle, who had known Bill's step-father, a teacher at the school. He provided the contact for Bill's mother, who worked for the Arizona state government. After no response from letters, Ron called her in 1972, resulting in her having to tell Bill he had a brother.
Bill spent a summer working for the railroad as a fireman and had come through Skull Valley, AZ, never knowing the link it had to his family. He also worked pulling and splitting slate to raise funds for college.
At Arizona State,Tempe Az, he was in the Air Force ROTC. After graduation became an Air Force pilot. He flew F-86 fighter aircraft and when in the area would buzz local mountain top fire lookout stations. He later moved into the KC-135, was stationed at Mather AFB, CA., and left the Air Force as a captain after serving in Viet Nam, stationed in Bancock Tieland. In 1976 Ron would live near Mather AFB, although assigned to McClellan AFB.
At Mather AFB, CA., he was the duty officer when a KC-135 caught fire on the ramp and he had other aircraft moved from the area - including the alert B-52’s that were armed with nuclear weapons.
In about 1967 Bill started to fly for United Airlines and over the next 25 or so years would qualify to fly most, if not all, of United’s fleet. This included the long pacific 747 flights to Australia. He also wrote articles in private aviator magazines, another interesting link to Ron’s Air Force career in Public Affairs.
In the early 1990’s Bill experienced some problems with his sight while on a flight and turned control over to the co- pilot. Cockpit lights seemed to be blinking, and later it would be found he had suffered a mild stroke. This was the first of many physical challenges he faced over the coming years, including more severe strokes and heart problems. In 1999 Bill and Meryl moved to Arkansas to be closer to her family.
In May 2002, Meryl and Bill returned to Phoenix for tests at the Mayo Hospital. While there he suffered the heart infection that would take his life at only 66 years of age. Although he was in the hospital for several weeks, for unexplained reasons, his sister and brothers were not informed about his declining condition, or about his death and burial until a week after the internment.
Bill's half-sister, Caroline, was never informed about her brother's death by his family. Ron made the contact. Bill and his sister had some kind of a falling out that Bill never got over.
BIOGRAPHY:
U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 1 <http://www.ancestry.com>
Name: William E Bassett, Birth Date:7 Oct 1935
Phone Number: 643-4540 [717-2763]
Address: 228 N Arcon St 6, Prescott, AZ, 86301 [1 Yakashba Dr, Prescott, AZ, 86305-5259 (1996)] [6128 E Vernon Ave, Scottsdale, AZ, 85257-1948 (1993)] [2720 N 68th St # 5466, Scottsdale, AZ, 85257-1203 (1993)]
U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 1 <http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1788&enc=1> about William E Bassett
Name: William E Bassett
Birth Date: 7 Oct 1935
Address: 70 E Sunset Way # 281, Issaquah, WA, 98027-3813 (1987) [5525 Highland Dr, Bellevue, WA, 98006-4263 (1987)]
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Bassett Family Association Database
1935 - 2002 (66 years)
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