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- The Anniston Star, 3 Mar 1998
Warner W. Bassett
Roanoke, AL - Services for Warner W. "Bill" Bassett, 84, will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Roanoke with Rev. Tim Craft and Thomas Waldrop officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends tonight from 4-9 at Quattlebaum Funeral Home. Mr. Bassett died Monday at West Georgia Medical Center in LaGrange. Survivors include his wife, Mary Jim Reaves Bassett; two daughters, Judy Cunningham of Forrester Park, Ga., and Denise Varnadoe of Hampton, Ga.; one son, Ernie Bassett of Luthersivlle, Ga.; four sisters, Lorene Schueesler of Dennison, Tx., Irene Kirby and Viola Thomas, both of Lakeland, Fla., and Mary Baldwin of Birmingham; two brothers; Travis Bassett of Lakeland and Gordon Bassett of Doraville, Ga.; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Mr. Bassett, a lifelong resident of Randolph County, had been employed as a carpenter with Stevens Workshop. He was a WW II veteran and a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.
The Heritage of Randolph County, Alabama
The Family of Warner (Bill) And Mary Jim Bassett
On December 27, 1905, Leona Viola (Bessie) Brown and Charlie Alexander Bassett eloped to West Point, Georgia in their horse and buggy. They returned to the Broughton Community near Roanoke where they made their home on a farm.
Bessie, born 4/11/1890, was the daughter of J.J. Marion (Bron 1858) and Lucy Jane Norred Brown of Broughton. Charlie was born 1/16/1886 in Randolph County to Thomas Jefferson (born 1847) and Julie Browning Bassett (born 1856).
Charlie and Bessie had 10 children: James (Jim), Leon, Guy, Warner Woodfin (Bill), Lorraine, Irene, Viola, Marie, Travis (Pete) and Gordon. Charlie died 3/10/40. Bessie died 4/21/78. They are buried at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Broughton.
Bill, born 5/18/13, was married to Mary Jim Reaves of Roanoke by Rev. Guy Bassett, his brother on 11/8/41 at his mother's home in Broughton where they resided as newlyweds.
Mary Jim was born 8/28/23, daughter of James Thomas (Big Jim) and Grace Lee Wallace Reaves of Jefferson County, Alabama. When Grace died on 10/12/31, Mary Jim, her sister Dora Lee, and brother James Thomas II (Buddy) went to live in Roanoke with their grandmother Mary Emma Staples Reaves Moore, born 11/2/1877. Mary Jim's baby brother Jack stayed with Uncle Jim and Aunt Vena Wallace. Big Jim later remarreid and had a daughter Meritta Ann. Big Jim died 9/10/83.
Bill attended school at Broughton (Ocre), Rock Stand, and Wedowee. He served in Company A of the 1923rd Engineer Aviation Utility Battalion of the Army (1943-45) during World War II being stationed in Iceland for 21 months.
After returning from the war, Bill worked on the farm for a few years and then worked as a carpenter/cabinet maker for George T. Stephens and later, Gerald Romine until he retired in 1978. Bill has always enjoyed hunting, fishing, ans sports.
Mary Jim worked at Palm Beach, the shirt factory, and Playtex. She loved making her own clothes. Mary Jim enjoys working with crafts, baking homemade goodies, and living the country life.
Bill and Mary Jim still live at the home place in Broughton. Bill has lived there since he was 6 weeks old. Bill's father built the house with trees that he cut and had sawed. It had only 3 rooms but was remodeled in 1928 and 3 more rooms, a hall, and a big front and back porch were added. In the early 1950's, Bill and Mary Jim purchased the house. Bill's mother and Mary Jim's Aunt Ellen Sharman lived with them until their deaths.
Bill and Mary Jim are members of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church where Bill is a deacon. He was song director there all of his adult life until 1993 and was the teacher for the adults for many years.
They had 3 children: Judy Cathleen 3/7/43, Ernie Darnell 9/14/46, and Melinda Denis 1/25/59. All attended school in Roanoke.
Judy married Harold Lee Cunningham on 9/3/61. Harold was born 7/15/41 to Harold Clifford (H.C.) and Vivian Key Cunningham. He attended school in Roanoke. He was employed by Delta in Atlanta until he retired. Judy is a homemaker and enjoys crafts. They live in Forest Park, Georgia and have 2 children: Harold Mark 5/3/64 and Vicky Cathleen 12/20/69.
Mark married Tammy Lee Stephens of Atlanta on 12/1/89. Tammy was born 9/6/63. They have one daughter Megan Lee born 7/14/90. They live in Broughton.
Vicky married Shelby Lee Holmes of Atlanta on 2/11/90. Shelby was born 11/21/67. They have 3 children: Kip Ryan 4/6/91, Amber Brianne 6/8/93, and Chase Jordan 5/19/95. They live in McDonough, Georgia.
Ernie married Kirstie Lynn Krush of Atlanta 12/19/81. Kirstie was born 7/30/60 to Virginia Lee and John Donald Krush. Ernie works for Southeastern Freight and Kirstie is an elementary school teacher at Thomas Crossroads Elementary. She enjoys working with crafts and sewing in her spare time. Ernie is a deacon at Pleasant Grove and Kirstie is an active member there. They have 2 children: Jennie Marie 5/17/83 and Anna Leigh 3/5/85. They live in Luterhsville, Georgia.
Denise married Arthur Lynn Varnadoe of Forest Park 7/1/79. Lynn was born 3/7/57 to Earnest Osvall and Lila Jeanette Varnadoe. Denis works as a substitute teacher and enjoys sewing and working with carts. Lynn works for the Clorox Company in Atlanta. Lynn is a deacon at Sunny Side FBC where Denis is also active. They have 3 children: Jill Rosanne 8/10/80, Jacob Warner 10/27/81, and Joshua Ellis 4/2/84. They live in Hampton, Georgia.
Submitted by: Mary Jim Bassett, 117 County Road 817, Roanoke, AL, 36271.
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