BASGALL, Dorothy A. 1931-2009

BASGALL

Posted By: K. Kittleson
Date: 1/3/2009 at 12:30:29

MASON CITY, IOWA - Dorothy A. Basgall, 77, of Mason City died Thursday (Jan. 1, 2009) at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit.

A funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 302 Fifth St. S.E. in Mason City, with the Rev. Craig Steimel officiating. Interment will be held in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City.

Memorials may be directed to the North Iowa Humane Society in celebration of her dog, Alphie, who brought great joy and comfort following Joe's death, or Hospice of North Iowa.

Dorothy was born April 6, 1931, to Silas and Elma (Jenkins) Edwards in Fertile, [Worth county, Iowa]. She grew up in the Kensett and Manly area, attending school primarily at Manly. During her high school years she was a forward on the girls' basketball team.

She had fond memories of the year they played in the girl's state basketball tournament. She was also prom queen during her junior year. She worked at J.C. Penny for 23 years, managing the shoe department and later working in the men's department.

In 1984 she converted to Catholicism and was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mason City.

She married Joseph John Basgall on Sept. 9, 1949, in Glenville, Minn. Joe preceded her in death on Nov. 9, 1988. Dorothy and Joe loved to travel and made several trips to California to visit Joe's daughter, Diane, and brother, Jake. Prior to Joe's death in 1988, the couple was planning a California coastal drive to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.

Dorothy had a love for life and worked hard at not taking herself too seriously. She had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh with family and friends, which was evident throughout her courageous battle with cancer this past year.

She was an avid walker, golfer, bowler, card player, and bingo player. Most days she would fit in two or more of these activities. Those that knew her know that she did not know the meaning of the word "moderation." She participated in the Run, Walk and Wag for cure along with her daughter, Vickey, granddaughter, Billie, and granddog, Truffle, in June 2008. She had a love of coffee and chocolate and no day was complete until she had each one.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, David Basgall of Mason City, and Vickey Basgall of Mason City; her brother, Arlyn "Tuppy" Edwards of Mason City; her stepdaughter, Diane (Ray) Reynolds of Newhall, Calif.; grandchildren, Billie (Jimmy) Dalgish of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Tracy Starkey of Fort Wayne, Ind., Jeffrey Basgall of Fort Wayne, Ind., Michael (Amelia) Basgall of St. Cloud, Minn., and Robin (Roger) Douglas of Summerville, S.C.; five great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Basgall in 1988; parents, Silas and Elma Edwards; and an infant brother.

Major Erickson Funeral Home and Crematory, 641-423-0924, www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com

[Published online in the Mason City Globe Gazette 1/3/2009 - www.globegazette.com ]