Frank & Bright Funeral Home
Bud Bassett
Nov 21st, 1943 - Jan 19th, 2024Iven M. “Bud” Bassett, age 80, formerly of Clay City, Illinois, passed away on the afternoon of January 19, 2024, at Flora Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. Born on November 21, 1943, in Olney, he was the son of Michael N. and Mabel Rose (Burgin) Bassett. Bud served in the Illinois Army National Guard, where his role was as a cook. He was united in marriage to Nancy Elaine Bassett on December 16, 1972. Marking their 50th wedding anniversary just days before Nancy's passing on December 26, 2022, became a truly golden memory for their family.
Bud and Nancy were longtime members of Flora First Christian Church. They were active in the Beau Knot Sunday School class, and Bud was a familiar face behind the wheel of the bus ministry, helping provide reliable transportation to services. He spent many years as a truck driver, working for Robert Jones Trucking among other companies. He probably never met a stranger and enjoyed striking up a conversation with just about anyone he met. A regular at Grandma’s Kitchen for his morning coffee, Bud also loved spending time outdoors, especially tending to his garden, and in earlier years he relished rabbit hunting. He and Nancy enjoyed taking numerous trips to Branson. He deeply valued his family and was often right alongside Nancy at the various activities and sporting events of their great-grandkids when they were able.
He is survived by his daughter: Kimberly (Bryan G.) Bullard of Rinard; 4 grandchildren: Jayson Bassett, Jena Bassett, Jonathan (Lisa) Bullard, and Jennifer (Roger) Collins; 9 great-grandchildren: Rase, Ryder (Taylor), Rowdy, Ava Beth, Rylan, Reagan, Nadia, Stacie, and Kylie; great-great-granddaughter: Evelynn Elayne; sister: Ruth Lynn of Clay City; brother-in-law: Robert M. Eastin of Flora; sister-in-law: Carol Coleman of Jackson, Missouri; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in passing by his parents; son: Jay M. Bassett; daughter: Deborah Klein and her husband William E. Klein Jr.; granddaughter: Jessika Klein Billingsley; brother: David Lee Bassett; 2 brothers-in-law: Russell D. Eastin and his wife Wanda, and Norman “Topper” Eastin; 2 sisters-in-law: Delores A. Slover and Lee Ann Eastin; and brother-in-law: Hugh Lynn.
A memorial ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday, January 25, 2024, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora with Tre Schlief officiating. Interment will follow at Floral Garden of Memories Cemetery. Visitation will be from 12 noon until 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorial donations are suggested to Oil Belt Christian Service Camp and will be accepted through the funeral home. To share a condolence or memory, visit: www.frankandbright.com