Jesse James Basse

Jesse James "Jack" Basse was born April 2, 1927 in Tulsa, OK to J.E. and Effie Irene (Peachey) Basse. Shortly after his parents lost a child, Aileen, in childbirth; Jack moved with his parents, his uncle Hugh and his older brother Bill to Sperry in May of 1930 into a three-room house just a half block east of where the new school field house now stands. Three more children were added to the family, Earl, Darlene & Hugh. The family later moved into the only two-story house in the north end of Sperry just two doors west of their first home.

On that same street lived the Avants, the Hanlins, and the Jennings; the Elliotts lived just one block east. The Phillips family lived next door with Mike, Lee, Johnnie, Sally and James. Their mother was Grandma to all the neighborhood kids. She had healing in her hands and she kept the old black salve for everyone's cuts and bruises.

Jack would recall there were plenty of kids to play rubber guns and hide and seek at night with the street light on the corner being home base. Playing shinny with sticks and tin cans was also a favorite pastime.

In 1933, Jack started to school in the old Washington School in Sperry. In those days each class lined up and marched into their classroom after each recess. The principal, Mr. M.E. Oney, made sure that everyone was quiet, or else ole' Betsy, his paddle, was used.

Jack would recall how, during the depression, he had one pair of pants and when his mother would wash them, he would have to go to bed until they were dry as he had nothing else to wear.

Some of Jack's stories relating his more favorite early memories of Sperry and the townsfolk included Jim Riggins Domino Parlor who held races for the kids around the old baseball field that was just south of the Armory (City Hall), and the winner got a penny piece of candy. He told about the old Medicine Shows that would come to town every summer. From his late teens he would recount how Ethel Sixkiller kept her cafe open on Saturday night and counted heads until they all came in from the movies to make sure they were all safely home.

Jack left Sperry High School his sophomore year and joined the U.S. Navy on his 17th birthday. After radio school he became part of the Beach Party Team of five signalmen and five radiomen as part of the amphibious force of the Navy in World War II. Once while in the middle of the Pacific Ocean as radioman he was scanning on the frequencies and picked up Bob Wills band which was being broadcast on KVOO from Cains Ballroom in Tulsa. He plugged it in and broadcast it to the entire ship for several hours which made him the hero of the day to those homesick sailors.
Jack told his family that while he was serving in the war the Sperry telephone office was in a brick building just east of the current telephone building. Mary Jordon and Mae Childers were two of the operators and their office had windows facing the street. When Jack had just arrived back in the states after being stationed in Japan, he made a call home to his parents. Mae Childers was on duty and Mae did not ring their home number, she came on and said, "Jack they are not home, I just saw them going by to the grocery store". You don't get that kind of service today.

Jack finished his high school requirements while in the Navy. He was later awarded his high school diploma as a member of the Sperry High School Class of 1945. He was discharged from the Navy in June of 1946 and according to Jack, "came home to the most beautiful place in the world, Sperry, Oklahoma".

Not too long after returning home, he met the girl of his dreams, Jonnie Fae Lyles. On January 24, 1948, they were married at Bill and Mary Buck's home in Tulsa by long time Sperry RLDS minister Ward Rumsey. Jack was working for the telephone company in southern Oklahoma at that time and came home to Sperry on the weekends on his motorcycle.

In December 1950, because he had signed up with the naval reserve, he was called to active duty to serve on the USS Estes (AGC 12) a communication's ship as a Second Class Petty Officer during the Korean War. He returned home again in January 1952.

Jack then worked as a truck driver for the Santa Fe and B&B Truck Lines in Tulsa. Jack & Jonnie Fae built their first home on 10 acres situated on 54th St. North in Turley. It was there that Jack & Jonnie Fae expanded their family and Jonnetta Lynn and Lonnie James were born. Jack began delivering mail in the early 1950s for the U.S. Postal Service, Tulsa, OK, and continued to do so until his retirement in 1983. During the latter years of this time he also worked for Mount's TV & Appliances in Tulsa.

Jack & Jonnie purchased 10 acres just west of Sperry when Lonnie was about one year old. They first lived in the garage of their current home while they worked to complete the rest of the house in which Jack lived until the time of his death.

Jack and Jonnie Fae and the kids would spend their favorite vacations early in their young family's life going both to Midland TX to visit his brother Bill and family or to Rogers AR to visit his Uncle Hugh and family and also spending time on Flint Creek with the Seaton and Avant families. The kids would play in the spring-fed water while Jonnie picked up rocks, which some might say were small boulders to take home. She would pick up so many rocks that as they would leave Flint Creek and hit bumps in the road, the tailpipe would drag. For those who knew Jack, he took special care of his vehicles and was not thrilled when the tailpipe would drag. He would turn to Jonnie and say, "I told you not to load the car down so much" and she would simply give him her special smile, Jack would shake his head and the young family would go on down the road toward home.

After Jack's conversion experience, which led him to the church, he was baptized into the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in January 1962. Jack was ordained to the priesthood of the RLDS church first as a priest, then elder and then in 1968 to the office of High Priest. He served as pastor of the Sperry Branch for approximately 4 years. He also served as missionary coordinator and held preaching services and small group meetings throughout the United States, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, France, England and Holland. Jack was one of the priesthood through which the Lord worked to bring about a renewal to His church. During the early 1990s, Jack traveled to Blackgum, OK usually three times a week to provide manual labor and to help oversee the building of the church youth campgrounds. In 2002, Jack was called and ordained to the office of Patriarch/Evangelist for the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jack spent most summers coordinating and attending youth camps and organizing church family reunions with Ernie and Pat Shank where he would be seen leading the morning prayers services in which many lives were touched. If Jack were here today, he would tell anyone within hearing distance that his most important calling was to serve the Lord.

In addition to his work as a servant for the Lord, Jack served as President of the Sperry Chamber of Commerce, President of the Sperry Quarterback Club, Trustee on the Sperry Cemetery Board and the SUSA Board for several years. He coached many little league baseball teams and for more than 25 years he, James Coyle, and Claude Miller were seen most fall and winter Friday nights running the chains at the high school football games. In 1960-61 Jack was instrumental in getting the Sperry Park built and also helped Jack Avant get the "fighter jet" installed for the park which at that time was located west of the current RLDS - Community of Christ church. He continued to be a big supporter of the FFA and other school and civic activities. He was awarded an Honorary Chapter FFA farmer award by the Sperry FFA Chapter. He was President of the Sperry Historical Society and was instrumental in assuring that Sperry's old Jail House was saved and the restoration process started. Besides his ministry, he also assisted when needed at the Johnson Funeral Home in Sperry. In 2003 Jack was recognized as the Sperry School's Outstanding Alumnus. He received the Sperry Community "Old Timers" award. Jack was an honorary member of the Sperry Roundtable which can usually be found most mornings meeting at the local Chuck Wagon diner over breakfast. For the most part, Tuesday and Thursday nights Jack & Jonnie enjoyed listening to Karaoke gospel music at the diner. Jack and Jonnie loved to watch westerns and gospel singing on television - but for Jack, watching the Oklahoma Sooners usually took priority.

Jack and his wife Jonnie Fae were married for 60 years and lived in the same home they built about � mile west of Sperry more than 50 years ago. During their marriage they watched both children, Jonnetta Lynn and Lonnie James, attend and graduate from the Sperry High School. A son-in-law and daughter-in-law were added to their family, Jack Selvidge and Melissa (Williams) Basse. The proudest moment of Jack and Jonnie Fae's lives were when they were blessed with their five grandchildren; Amber and Shawn Selvidge and Brigette, Phillip, and Margo Basse. It was clearly evident those grandchildren were loved beyond words by their "Papaw". He was so proud of each and every one of them.

At the age of 81, after being in St. John Medical Center, Tulsa, OK for a short while, Jack went home to his Creator on Thursday, December 18, 2008. He was preceded in death by his parents, J.E. and Effie Basse; his sister Aileen Basse; brother Earl Basse; brother and sister-in-law Bill and Margaret Basse; another brother and sister-in-law Hugh and Tressie Basse; and a brother-in-law Paul Lyles.

Left to miss him are his wife, Jonnie Fae Basse of the home; daughter and son-in-law Jonnetta and Jack Selvidge of Sperry; son and daughter-in-law Lonnie and Melissa Basse of Tulsa; five grandchildren: Amber Selvidge of Houston, TX; Brigette, Phillip and Margo Basse of Tulsa and Shawn Selvidge of Sperry, OK; his sister and brother-in-law Darlene and Bill Westmoland; many cousins, nieces and nephews and a host of family, church family and friends.

Funeral services were held on Monday, December 22, 2008 at 2 p.m. at the Sperry Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Elder Roger Tracy made an opening statement which was followed by the congregational hymn, "I'll Fly Away". Elder Steve Van Meter welcomed over 400 friends and family who gathered to honor Jack. The congregation then sang, "Redeemer of Israel". Elder Morton Hampton, long-time family friend, gave the opening prayer. The obituary was delivered by Elder Elbert Rogers. "I Can't Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand" was then sang by Jack's brother-in-law, Bill Westmoland. President/Prophet Fred Larsen and Patriarch/Evangelist Ernie Shank conveyed special remembrances of Jack. The congregation then sang "I Love to Tell the Story" followed by Elder Roger Tracy's message. During the message Roger asked friends Elder C.H. Whiteman, Teacher Preston Jobe as well as Brenda Seaton to share additional memories of Jack, and Sharon Tracy to read a poem. The message was followed by "Go Rest High on That Mountain" sang by Bill Westmoland. Apostle Jim Rogers closed the service with a prayer. Organist for the service was Priest Mike Zahner. Ushers included Deacon Jim Crank, Deacon Bill Bennett and Teacher Lee Prince. Audio was provided by David Holt.

Seventy Donnie Carter and Priest John Seaton officiated at the graveside services at the Sperry Resthaven Cemetery with Military Honors performed by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard.

Pall bearers included Shawn Selvidge, Phillip Basse, D. J. Basse, John Basse, Jimmy Davis, Bill Butler and Doug Westmoland. Honorary Pall bearers were Jack Selvidge, Bill Westmoland, Jim Basse, Steven Westmoland, Melvin Pearson, Kenneth Peachey, Charles Paul Basse, Morton Hampton, Jack Avant, Preston Jobe, and Ernie Shank.

In lieu of flowers the family requested donations to be made to the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, PO Box 478, Sperry, OK 74073.

Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home in Sperry OK. Online condolences can be made at www.johnsonfhsperry.com