William A. Bassett

William A. Bassett (Bill), age 94, passed away peacefully on January 25 with his family at his side. He was born on August 3, 1931, to Preston and Jeanne Bassett and grew up in Rockville Center, NY, while spending his summers on a farm in Rochester, Vermont. Bill received his Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and Ph.D. from Columbia University. Bill met the love of his life, Jane Kermes while working in Rochester, and they were married on September 8, 1962. They were married for 56 years until her passing on October 21, 2018.

Bill grew up in a family of scientists and educators which sparked in him a lifelong love of teaching and learning and led him to a career in academia. In 1962, Bill joined the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Rochester. There, he started his journey into studying high pressure mineral physics.

In 1978 he became a member of the geological sciences faculty at Cornell University. In 1985 he received a Guggenheim fellowship for study at the University of Paris. Other awards included the prestigious Roebling Medal (Mineralogical Society of America) for his work in mineralogy and the Bridgman Award, given by the International Association for High Pressure Research. Bill’s principal research interest involved studying the properties of minerals under high pressure and temperature to better understand the nature of the materials that make up the earth’s interior. This included his pioneering work in developing the diamond-anvil high pressure cell as a leading technology for mineralogical research.

Bill was many things in life – professor, mentor, colleague, friend, but there was no role that he embraced more than that of teacher. In that role he made a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of young women and men. And that impact was not limited to university classrooms, laboratories or field camps. Bill was a lifelong champion of the Ithaca Sciencenter. He devoted many hours over the years to the Sciencenter’s development as a volunteer and board member. His enthusiasm for helping to improve programs there, just like his enthusiasm for learning, never waned over the years. We will miss his smile, his kindness, his energy, and his wit, but most of all we will miss the love he had for life and for those he cared about.

Bill was proceeded in death by his parent, his wife, two brothers (Roger and Allen), and his sister Peggy. He is survived by his children Kari (David) of Christchurch, NZ, Jeff (Hideko) of Rockville, MD and Penny (Michael) of Ithaca, NY, as well as a grandchild, Charlie.

The family will conduct a Celebration of Life service on Thursday, February 12 at 1 pm at Bangs Funeral Home, 209 W. Green Street, Ithaca NY. Friends may call on Thursday from noon to 1 pm. Should friends desire, contributions in Bill's name may be made to the Ithaca Sciencenter. And remember that we are never too old to learn new and exciting things!