Edward L Basham

life story

Husband, Father, Grandpa, Papa and Friend

Ed passed peacefully on Friday May 3, 2024 with loved ones at his side.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 8th from 11AM - 3 PM at

Total Recall 17285 Forest Blvd N, Hugo, MN 55038. Lunch at 12:30 pm followed by memories and a toast.

Heartfelt thanks to the wonderful staff at Saint Therese St Odilia in Shoreview, MN.

Ed's Legacy: a life well-lived!

Edward Lee Basham of Stillwater, Minnesota passed peacefully on Friday May 3rd, 2024 after a 20 month battle with Glioblastoma Multiforme.

He was born in Menomonie Wisconsin to parents Jessie Belle Breit (Burk) and Warren Emmett Breit Sr.

Survived by spouse Susan Basham, daughter Katherine Youngquist (Jeffrey), granddaughters Kelsey Singer (Andrew) and Kendra Youngquist.

Great grandson Jesse Singer, brother Rodney Basham (Joyce), sister Nora Peterson, half brother Warren Breit (Laurie), step-sister Darlene Carmen and many nephews, nieces and cousins.

Preceded in death by Jessie Belle Basham - mother and Warren Emmett Breit Sr - father.

Ed graduated from Minneapolis Vocational High School in 1966 and went on to a diverse career in many fields. He was a cabinet maker, built toboggans and sleds, worked at the Armory making munitions, and learned tuck pointing and concrete repair after that. He cooked and catered alongside his mother Jessie and spouse Sue, including serving breakfasts to the U of M Gophers basketball teams. He transitioned to farming for several years in Lake Elmo MN, followed by installing pools and construction, and then moving on to maintenance for a large theater chain. Next he partnered with his brother-in-law doing HVAC installation and repair calls for their business. In between jobs he also did logging with his nephews. He got into the pet wholesale trade, working in the warehouse processing orders, fixing returns and making deliveries while working alongside of Katherine for several years. He ended his working career as the maintenance engineer for Wooddale Recreation and Tennis Club before he officially retired. Thru all of his working years he was a carpenter, mason, car mechanic, cook, assembler, plumber, electrician, boiler and HVAC engineer, sheet metal worker, repair technician, truck driver, flooring installer, upholsterer, cabinet maker, landscaper, re-modeler and gardener. Truly a master of trades, self taught.

Ed met Susan Besta via a mutual friend who in the mid 60s was in a band as a drummer . They went on dates to movies, drive inns, enjoyed canoeing, fishing and hunting for pheasants and grouse together. They married in March of 1967 and raised their daughter Katherine. They built their own home in 1979, finishing everything once the basic structure had been raised. Throughout the years they helped family members with their home remodels, basement completions, and emergency repairs,often asking what can we do or bring? He had a soft place in his heart for his grand kids and especially his only great grandson Jesse. They played games of connect 4, cribbage and tag to the end.

For fun in the 70s, Ed was into stock car racing as a pit crew member and even raced on one occasion. He also improvised a gas tank utilizing a beer keg on one of the stock cars. Later Ed and Sue's interest transitioned to horses, including showing halter with Appaloosas, pleasure riding and games including square dancing while riding with a Saddle Club in Prior Lake MN. Sue had always wanted to ride horses in the MN State Fair Hippodrome so this was the segway to do that and Ed rode along beside her!

Ed had a lifetime passion for fishing, growing up he often rode his bike as a boy to Lake Calhoun and the other chain of lakes. Many family vacations were spent fishing with Sue and Katherine and even the lake behind their house produced many days and evenings of bass and crappie fishing for several years while in a canoe. The last few years included many trips to Big Boy Lake in Remer Minnesota. He enjoyed hunting, pursuing upland birds and deer. As the cancer progressed his go-to goal was to "go fishing".

Both Ed and Sue had dogs while growing up and as a married couple they hunted upland birds with Chesapeakes and later Dobermans. They took an interest in Airedale Terriers in the mid 1980's eventually joining the Twin Cities Airedale Club. Both of them trained the 'dales in obedience, and Ed supported Sue while she showed in conformation. He helped Sue raise puppies, even building a whelping box for the event. Ed was tricked by TCATC friends Kitty and Cheryl who entered him in an obedience trial. This led to Ed achieving several high in trial scores over the years with his Airedales MacGyver, Java, Summer & Breezeway.

ED & Sue started dog obedience at TCOTC and also were members of their Flyball Team High Spirits.

They later became part of the Total Recall School for Dogs family when the facility was in their early years and continued to train with them as long as he could. Ed would help out with whatever needed attention while training. He loved to share his knowledge & skills to help everyone.