Allen LeRoy Basart

Allen LeRoy Basart, born Jan. 4, 1935, in Waterford, Calif., died Feb. 11, 2008, in Post Falls, Idaho.

He graduated in 1954 from Mt. Baker High School in Everson, Wash. Al spent two years in the Army stationed in Germany from 1957-1959.

His first marriage to Gerry Gwin ended in divorce with no children.

When he married Zola Calkin Greig in 1968, he instantly became a dad to four young children ages 10, 9, 8 and 5.

He worked for PacCar in Renton zeroing in tanks and howlitzers used in the Vietnam War. For several years after that he managed shoe stores. Then he became an on-the-road salesman for shoe repair and shoe stores in three states for 27 years. He drove over a million miles with no accidents. After retirement in 2002, he managed a senior RV park and took care of the grounds.

Al loved to talk to people. He was a very honest and giving person. He would put others before himself. Some of his favorite activities were fishing, boating, camping and bowling. He was always ready to travel and stop to sightsee. He really loved family, friends and classic country music.

As a member of First Presbyterian Church in Moses Lake, Al was a Stephen Minister and an usher.

Allen died after a lengthy illness. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Zola; his four children Jim (Elln) Greig, Kathy (Dennis) Shogren, Debbie (John) Spencer and Mary (Greg) Davis; his brother Wait (Dorothy) Basart and his sister Fern (Tom) German; and 10 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Floyd Basart, and his mother, Martha Basart Hinton.

Services will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 19, at First Presbyterian Church, 1142 W Ivy, Moses Lake, with lunch following. A military graveside service will be in mid-May at Mt. Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, Wash. In lieu of flowers, donations in Al's memory may be given to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.