Elwin L. Basquin

ANDREWS, BASQUIN, CLAUDIN, CLEAVER, CRAWFORD, FLYNN, MIDDLETON, QUIGLEY, RESZEL, SMITH

Posted By: Cindy Marshall (email)
Date: 12/2/2021 at 21:08:54

Elwin L. Basquin, 89, of Heartis Village, Peoria, Illinois, former president and general manager of the Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation licensee of WTVP-TV, Channel 47, died at 8:26 a.m. on Thursday, July 1, 2021, at the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home. Services were held starting at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 6, at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hamilton and Randolph Streets in Peoria, with Pastor Mark Nelson and Pastor Matt Synnott officiating. Visitation was from 12 to 2 p.m. at the church two hours prior to the funeral at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. Burial was at Lutheran Cemetery, Peoria.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Elwin Basquin Endowed Scholarship in Mass Communications at Bradley University and the WTVP Endowment Fund.

He was born November 18, 1931, in Independence, Iowa, to Lawrence E. and Alta M. (Smith) Basquin. Elwin married Phyllis Jean Andrews on September 27, 1953, in Independence, Iowa. She survives. Also surviving are four daughters, Lynne E. (Patrick) Flynn, Luann M. (Daryl) Claudin, and Lizabeth "Biz" A. (Justin) Middleton, all of the Peoria area, and Laurie S. (Frank) Cleaver, West Des Moines, Iowa; 17 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews. He loved his ever-growing family and enjoyed being together with them.

Preceding him in death were his parents; two sisters, Eileen Basquin and LaVerna Belle Crawford; daughter Lisa Kay Quigley; grandson Timothy Quigley Jr; and granddaughter Celeste Reszel.

As a U.S. Marine radio operator FO (forward observer) known as "Eli" in 1st ANGLICO, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for Valor and Bravery in Action, plus numerous other medals and commendations while serving as a sergeant with the U.S. Marines, 1951-54, in Korea.

He attained a B.S. degree from Drake University, Des Moines, in 1957, and an M.S degree from Iowa State University.

He was active in the planning and development of public radio and television stations in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. He was appointed station manager of WTVP-TV, Channel 47, a new public television station in Peoria in mid 1971. In 1980, he was named vice president and general manager, and served as president from 1987 until late 1996, when he retired.

He was active in the work of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, and a member since 1972 of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Peoria. He was president of the Concordia Lutheran School Foundation Board.

He served, led, and volunteered with Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, Lutheran Brotherhood Branch #8271, was a 25-year member of the Downtown Peoria Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a leader for Habitat for Humanity in the Peoria area and was selected as the 2005 "Volunteer of the Year" in the Heartland Region by Thrivent Financial.

Friends may sign the online guestbook or send condolences to www.wrightandsalmon.com.

Published by Independence Bulletin-Journal on Jul. 6, 2021.