John J. Basten (1961-2022)

BASTEN, BARTELL, BUSSAN, TREBIAN, TIMMERMAN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 8/16/2022 at 17:49:21

Sonny (John J.) Basten 60 of Galena, IL passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, August 14, 2022, at Midwest Medical Center, Galena. The funeral service will be held at 11 AM, Monday, August 22, 2022, at the Furlong Funeral Chapel, Galena. Friends may call from 1 to 4 PM, on Sunday, August 21, 2022, at the funeral chapel. Burial will be in Prospect Hill Cemetery, rural Galena. Sonny was born in Cuba City, WI on 10/26/61 to James and Deloris (Bartell) Basten. He grew up in Aiken, rural Galena, and graduated from Galena High School with the class of 1979. Sonny married his high school sweetheart Mary Kay Bussan on May 9, 1981, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Galena. He took the city out of Mary Kay to make her his long-time hunting and fishing partner. Sonny worked at Kelly Springfield (Titan) Tire Company in Freeport, IL retiring in 2016. He had a great passion for the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping, boating, gardening, bullshitting, and watching the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Bears. Sonny especially loved spending time with his family and grandkids. He called his grandkids every night to check on them. Sonny enjoyed hosting gatherings at his family cabin on the river. Sonny was a member of the Dubuque Bass Club and volunteered for the Galena High School Bass Fishing Team to help his two oldest grandkids. He was excited to pass down his legacy of hunting and fishing to his children and grandchildren. Sonny is survived by his wife of 41 years Mary Kay, two sons, Jim (Brittni), and Bucky (Tasha), two daughters, Jen (James) Trebian, and Babe (Nick) Timmerman, and nine grandchildren, Ally and Ivy, Dylan, Jackson, & Camaryn, Emma and Eva, Sutton and Blaine, and his beloved dog Goose, his siblings, Tom (Rosemary) Basten, Tracy Frank, Ron, Jerry, Jim, and Randy (Elvira) Heim and his in-laws, Dan (Mary) Bussan, Diann (John) Binninger, Tom (Nancy) Bussan, Donald (Ellen) Bussan, Bob and Philip Bussan, and Shirley (John) Earl, along with many nieces, nephews, and his long-time friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his in-laws Philip and Ann Marie Bussan, a grandson Colin, and two sisters Deb and Jan. The family would like to send a special thank you to Dr. Vandigo, Galena EMS, and the staff at Midwest Medical Center. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.furlongfuneralchapel.com