Mr. James “Jake” Creth Bassett, a longtime resident of Perry and respected businessman in North Florida, died Jan. 26, 2018, at Doctors’ Memorial Hospital in Perry. He was 87.
Mr. Bassett came to Perry in 1957 to serve as president of Bassett Dairy Products, Inc. He graduated from Monticello High School in 1948 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Florida State University in 1952. Prior to his leadership at Bassett’s Dairy, he served in the United States Air Force for four years as an air operations specialist.
With an Oct. 26, 1930, birthdate, he was one of five sons born to Wilmer Wilson Bassett and Ruby Burt Bassett in Monticello. Mr. Bassett had a passion for the family business and also served two terms as president of the Florida Dairy Products Association. Locally, he was president of the Perry/Taylor County Chamber of Commerce for two terms in the 1980s; served as president of the Perry Kiwanis Club in 1964; chaired the community-wide Pine Tree Festival (now called the Florida Forest Festival); and worked on the local library board from 1962 to 1975. He was on the Board of Directors of First Federal Savings and Loan of Perry from 1974-1995, then served on the Community Board of Directors for Capital City Bank in Perry.
Mr. Bassett was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Perry where he was a choir member for 57 years. He was ordained as an elder in 1964 and served as superintendent of Sunday School for many years.
In 1952, he married Patsy Ann Wright and they were the parents of four children. She died on Dec 6, 1997. In 1999, he married June Clemons Bassett and she preceded him in death on March 4, 2016. He was also predeceased by: his four brothers, Wilmer Wilson Bassett Jr., Henry Burt Bassett, Curry Jemison Bassett and Ray Simpson Bassett; a stepson, Art Clemons; and a grandson, Brett Bassett.
Survivors include: two sons, Jim Bassett (Suzanne) and Joseph Allen Bassett (Dawn); two daughters, Ann Marie Bassett Fraser (Mark) and Sue Ellen Bassett Sullivan (David); a stepdaughter, Barbara Clemons English (Mark); a stepdaughter-in-law, Dana Clemons; 15 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Monday, Jan. 29, 2018, at 1:00PM in the First Presbyterian Church of Perry with the Rev. Larry D. Neal officiating. Interment will follow in Pineview Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will also be held in the sanctuary of the church on Sunday, Jan. 28, from 6-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Breadbasket Fund of First Presbyterian Church (P.0. Box 837, Perry, FL 32348). Arrangements are under the care of Burns Funeral Home.
You may send condolences to the family at www.joepburnsfuneralhomes.com
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