Jane K. Bassett

Jane K. Bassett, 81, of Ithaca, New York, passed away peacefully after a long illness on Sunday 21 October, 2018 surrounded by her family. She was born on 24 January 1937 in New Castle, Indiana, to Frank and Jane Kermes. She attended school in Darien, Connecticut, college at Mt Holyoke in Massachusetts, and received her Master’s degree in geology from the University of Rochester, New York where she met her future husband William A. Bassett.

Jane grew up in Darien and Bill in nearby Ridgefield, Connecticut. Jane attended Mt Holyoke College and Bill attended nearby Amherst College, both majoring in geology. They finally met, after these near misses, when she enrolled at the University of Rochester where Bill became a professor. They dated for about a year and married 8 September 1962. Their first child, a daughter named Kari, was born 8 December 1963, followed by Jeff, born 14 September 1965, and Penny, born 20 October 1966.

She and the children often accompanied Bill when he took students into the field where he taught geology and surveying. While Bill was teaching, she entertained the children by teaching them the basics of surveying with a Brunton compass and mineral identification, particularly of minerals that glowed when struck by a hammer or in blacklight. Both daughters became geologists because of the love of the subject shown by both parents. Jeff developed a love of computers following his father’s love of gadgets.

Jane grew up loving horses, and the existence of a barn was a requirement of any house she lived in. The first house Bill and Jane purchased in Churchville, NY, had an old barn which they improved by adding horse stalls, pastures, and a riding ring. As soon as she was able, she instilled this love in her daughters who both took up riding and showing. Jane became a horseshow Mom which involved quite a lot of 4:00 am starts to a day and behind the scenes braiding of hair of both horses and riders. When the family moved to Ithaca, the well-designed horse barn and pastures were the deciding factors for which house to buy. There she bred ponies and there were often frolicking foals in the pastures near the house. After the children left for college, Jane started showing her horse Heather and they both enjoyed competing on the show circuit.

Jane had a stroke and had to endure many more years in a wheelchair than anyone should have to. Her gradual decline as years passed led to progressively using a walking cane, an electric scooter, and a wheelchair, until finally she was confined to the house. Even after her debilitating stroke, she took every opportunity to enjoy riding with the excellent group Reins of Hope for disabled people.

Jane and Bill loved collecting antiques to the extent that their house contained rooms stuffed full like a museum. They enjoyed participating in antique shows where they often purchased more than they brought to sell. She was often seen at antique shows in her electric scooter with her two Corgi dogs. Antique shows were a terrific excuse to go travelling, which both enjoyed.

Travelling was always a significant part of Jane’s life starting with camping with the family. Jane and Bill took their family, three small children and a dog, across the country as part of Bill’s sabbatical year in Utah in 1968 pulling a pop-up camper trailer and stopping often. They enjoyed this so much that they did it again three more times over the years travelling for several months at a time! Memories of Mom setting up camp and staying in different places on the trips are cherished by her children Kari, Jeff and Penny. The sabbatical in Paris in 1985, where Jane and Bill lived for 6 months, was one of the highlights of her life. She enjoyed exploring Paris and travelling with family across Europe. After she started using a wheel chair, she and Bill continued to travel in their specially modified camper that they took everywhere. She also travelled with Bill to Germany, Hawaii, New Zealand where her daughter moved, as well as across the country where the wheelchair became an advantage for early boarding and receiving the ‘good’ seats with more leg room.

Jane was always interested in crafts and over the years learned to sew the children’s clothing, knit their sweaters, spin and dye wool, weave, and needlepoint. Some of her children’s memories include receiving promises of presents of beautiful clothing yet to be completed. Needlepoint was her final love and decorates many walls in Jane and Bill’s house. Many family members received gifts of needlepoint that are still used or displayed. She experimented with cooking new things over the years and taught her children to try new foods even the odd ones. She also did sketching, painting, and photography, particularly stills of flowers.

She enjoyed visits with family including her brothers, Ken, Jim and Thom, Bill’s sister and brothers Peggy, Roger, and Allen, and especially her children’s partners Dave, Hideko, and Mike and grandchild Charlie. Charlie has enlivened family visits with his enthusiasm for anything mechanical, electronic or computers. There are many old electronic items now in pieces around the house as he and Grandpa deconstructed old obsolete electronic items stashed away in closets.

Jane accomplished a remarkable amount in her life even throughout her long time in a wheelchair, learning to deal with ever increasing limitations. Her friendliness and willingness to listen always led to interesting conversations. Even Parisian waiters were kind and willing to speak to her in English because of her friendly smile and attempts to speak French. The health aides, who were hired to care for her by initially preparing meals, in the end did much more and became like family. She died peacefully in her sleep after her children arrived home to say good bye.

Sunday, November 04, 2018 1:00 PM

Bangs Funeral Home, Inc. 209 W Green St. Ithaca, New York 14850

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