Judith Ann Bassett

The family of Judith Ann Bassett sadly announce her passing June 10, 2025. She passed at home with her family after a lengthy bout with long-term Covid pulmonary fibrosis.

Born in Nampa, Idaho June 17, 1938, Judy spent her early years in Idaho, Oregon City and California. After high school she entered the United States Air Force and served until she got out to start a family with her husband of 61 years, James Robert Bassett. They had 3 girls, Barbara, Linda and Diane.

Judy and Jim traveled the world with his career in the Air Force. They enjoyed living in places like Norway, Italy and Honduras. Each place was a new opportunity for Judy to help others through volunteer work. She was a 1970’s super Mom, running on what looked like endless energy. She was that neighborhood mom everyone wanted for their own, the house with the bikes parked in the yard, and where the Kool-Aid and cookies were plentiful.

In the 1970’s she returned to college and earned her teaching degree while moving from one military assignment to another. When Jim retired to the Toledo area in the early 1980’s, she began working at Kiddie Kampus in Chehalis. Judy went back to college to get teaching certified in Washington and soon carved out her own career by becoming a professional substitute teacher in the area. Loving the variety in schools and children, she taught from Castle Rock to Mossyrock, from Centralia down to Longview. She stayed busy teaching until she retired.

Her later years were filled with her greatest passion in life, her faith, and volunteering for her beloved Toledo Presbyterian Church in Toledo as well as the Toledo Food Bank in its early days. She and Jim also traveled to see family and friends, served as church elders and session members, and took long walks in the evenings holding hands. They shared a good life.

Judy is preceded in death by her husband James in 2021. Judy is survived by her three daughters; Barbara Ann Shillingford of St. George Utah, Linda Jean Geer of Perkins Oklahoma, and Diane Michele Bassett Geister of Vader WA. She is also survived by her loving sons-in-law Steve Shillingford, Don Geer and Gary Geister, 13 grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren.

She was our matriarch and the last of the Silent Generation for our family. She will be greatly missed.

Donations can be made to the Toledo Presbyterian Church, Toledo, WA Reader Board Fund.