Service measured not by GOLD,
                           but by the GOLDEN RULE

Service measured not by GOLD,
          but by the GOLDEN RULE

330.262.7771

Betty Jean BASNETT, 79, of Wooster, Ohio 44691, passed away in Sunrise Assited Living, Friday, October 3, 2008
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Oct 9 at 5:00 pm at the Wooster United Methodist Church with the Rev. Diane Johnson officiating. Calling hours will be held 1 hour proir to the service at the church. Burial will be at Floral Hills Cemetery in Clarksburg, West Virginia
She was born December 14, 1928 in Akron, OH, daughter of Lyle and Virginia Wine Basnett.
At the age of 2 the family moved to Milwauee, WI. Due to the depression they moved back to Akron for a short time and then moved to Calhoun Co., WV to her Basnett grandparents home. At age 4-1/2 they moved to Wirt County where her mother taught school for one year prior to moving to Anmoore, WV, a suburb of Clarksburg. She attended Anmoore Elementary School and then Bridgeport High School 7th thru 12th grade. She graduated from Bridgeport High School in May of 1946. In Sept. she entered West Virginia University and enrolled in the School of Physicial Education from which she earned the degree of Bachelor of Science in Physicial Education. She played the flute from 7th grade thru college. She was first flute in her junior and senior year in high school in the All State Band. She began her teaching career at Roseville High School, Rosevillel, OH where she taught for seven years. The following year she taught at Bowling Green Jr. High before moving to Wooster in August of 1958. In Roseville she was a member of the Wesleyan Service Guild, an organization for young Methodist women. During the summers she was a girl scout leader at Camp Tilting Acres outside of Dresden, OH.
During her teaching career of 16 years at Wooster High School she finished her Master of Science degree at WVU. She also did post graduate work at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She traveled during summers and by age 37 had traveled through all the continental states and to Europe two times. In 1972 she took Barbara Anderson of Wooster to the 1972 Olympics in Munich, W. Germany. In 1968 she and Linda Brenneman Bush traveled to Europe and were in all countries west of the Iron Curtain.
In November of 1973 she underwent back surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and was out on sick leave from November to May. She was granted permanent disability and retired from 24 years of teaching at age 44 years.
In 1975 she went alone to England, Denmark and Germany. In 1976 she traveled with a friend to the XXI Olympics in Montreal. It was there she saw Nadia Comanich win the first gold medal in gymnastics. She also saw swimmer Mark Spitz of the US win several gold medals. In 1977 she went to Kenya with several people from Ohio and WVU graduates. In 1980 she traveled again to Europe with Maupin Tours and saw the Passion Play in Mberammergau. This was the first time she was able to get into East Germany. In 2000 she went again to see the Passion Play in Germany.
During the 1980’s she took passengers to and from Hopkins International Airport making over 100 trips. Shortly after her retirement she helped canvas the community to pass the bond levy to build the Community Center and then again to build the Wayne County Humane Society. She did volunteer work for the Red Cross registering blood donors. She also gave 6-1/2 gallons of blood.
At age 13 she became a member of the Methodist Church. She joined the Wooster United Methodist Church on Oct 22, 1966. Prior to that she took Methodist Youth Fellowship members to the Cherokee Indian Reservation in Cherokee, NC during the summers of 1964 and 1965. She had to discontinue all volunteer work as her mother became ill in 1989. Her mother died in 1991. After her death her father who was 90 years old wasn’t well and she had the responsibility for his care until he died in October of 1996 at the age of 95-1/2. When she retired she had two Schnauzer dogs. They were both named Johann Basnett von Windsor I and II. Hansi I lived 11 years and Hansi II almost 13 years so she had dogs for 24 years. Hansi II became diabetic and went blind and died in May 1999.
She was elected to become a member of the National Geographic Society and was a life member. She was a charter member of the .M.I. Hummel Collector’s Club and she collected Hummels and Teddy Bears. She was a lover of books and an avid reader. She enjoyed photography and won gold awards for slides in NE Ohio region.
In 2000 she was inducted into the Emeritis Club at West Virginia University having graduated 50 years before. She was a life member of West Virginia University Alumni and of the Ohio Retired Teachers Assn.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wooster United Methodist Church 243 N. Market St. Wooster, Ohio 44691.
Arrangements by the McIntire, Davis & Greene Funeral Home

Memorial Contributions
Wooster United Methodist Church

Service
Thursday, October 9, 2008 @ 5:00pm Wooster United Methodist Church

Visitation
1 hour prior to service

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