Charles Benjamin Basye

Charles “Ben” Basye, 97, of Columbia, MO passed away Monday, July 8th in Columbia, MO. Visitation will be Tuesday, July 16th from 10-11am at Memorial Funeral Home 1217 Business Loop 70 West Columbia, MO. Funeral service will begin at 11am followed by burial with full Military honors at 1:30pm In Ashland Cemetery in Fayette, MO.

Ben was born June 10, 1927 in rural Howard County to Charles Bradley and Dorothy Elizabeth Crews Basye; one of their four children. His early education was in Union School, a one-room schoolhouse then he graduated from Fayette High School at the age of 15 and was active in the Boy Scouts serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster. He married Joanne Brown in Fayette on December 12, 1954.

He served his country for nearly 43 years, spending 11 years in the Navy and nearly 32 years in the Naval Reserves. In WWII, he served aboard the USS Boxer, an Essex Class Carrier where he flew multiple different piston engine fighters and jet fighters. In 1949, he was one of the first Navy Pilots to land a jet on a carrier. He did this in a Grumann F9F Panther Jet Fighter during the earliest stages of catapult take-off and landing operations. As a reservist, he served as a Consulting Engineer and Maintenance Officer. He retired from the Navy on his 60th birthday in 1987 at the rank of Captain. All while serving his country, he attended the University of Nebraska, the University of Wyoming, Central Missouri State, Brown University, the University of Missouri, and Iowa State University. He earned a B.S. in Engineering, M.S. in Engineering, and his Ph.D. in Engineering and Mathematics.

Ben taught engineering at the University of Missouri-Rolla and at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He taught eighteen different graduate engineering courses and was the Faculty Advisor for 400 graduate engineering students. He also served as a member of St. Charles School Board and President of St. Charles County School Board. He was a proud father of four boys.

He is survived by his sons, George (Cindy) Basye of Yorba Linda, CA, and Fayette, Randy (Debra) Basye of Rocheport, MO, and Chuck (Rhonda) Basye of Rocheport; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, of nearly 66 years, Joanne Basye; a son, Scott Kennedy Basye; siblings, Billie Ann Turner, Betty Jane Smythe, and George Levon Basye, and his parents.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ashland Cemetery Association: ico Treasurer, 15000 West Highway 40 Rocheport, MO 65279.

Condolences and fond memories may be shared at www.memorialfuneralhomeandcemetery.com