Lloyd Robert Basten
June 14, 1937 ~ September 11, 2016
Resided in:
Fletcher, NC
Lloyd Robert Basten, 79, of Fletcher, finished his race on September 11, 2016 at the Elizabeth House, following a short battle with mesothelioma.
A native of Green Bay, WI, he was a son of the late Robert Theodore and Selma Bosacki Basten. He was also preceded in death by one daughter, Tracy Basten Iurato and one brother, Robert C. Basten.
Lloyd was a proud US Veteran, having served in the US Air Force and Honor Guard. After his time in the service, he attended and graduated from Northern Michigan University. He moved to Asheville and was employed by Gerber in 1965. He remained with the company until his retirement in 1994. Lloyd was an avid runner, having run many marathons and completing the Shut In Trail Run 19 times. He enjoyed spending time with running buddies from the Asheville Track Club, the YMCA and the NC Arboretum.
Lloyd is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, JoAnn Bell Basten; two daughters, Amy Hanks and her husband Neal and Jill Sonka and her husband Michael; seven grandchildren, Madison and Lexi Iurato, Isabel Sonka, Veronica, Kate, Nicholas and Rob Hanks; one sister, Paula Basten-Erath and her husband Barry; one son in law, Bob Iurato and one sister in law, Patricia Morris.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, September 15, 2016 in the auditorium of the NC Arboretum.
In lieu of flowers, the family graciously asks that memorial donations be made in Lloyd's name to the YMCA of Western North Carolina, 53 Asheland Avenue, Suite 105, Asheville, NC 28801.
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.
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Lloyd was a good friend and a super co-worker at Gerber. He left his print
on many that knew him. I feel for his family at this sad time.
Lloyd was a great man and a wonderful mentor. I’m sorry for your loss JoAnn and family
I worked with Lloyd for years and knew him as a friend. My prayers are with his family.
I always knew that the rest of my day was going to be great when Lloyd and I crossed paths out on the Mountains-to-Sea trail near Biltmore park, or when we saw each other at the Y. We would both leave with smiles on our faces. He was an inspiration to everyone who met him and always had a smile and kind words. He was one of my heros.
to JoAnn and family, on behalf of your Sears, Roebuck & Co family our deepest sympathies in the passing of Lloyd. Always a smile when I met Lloyd at our sears functions, a friend to all of us.
don funderud
Neal and Amy, I am so very sorry to hear about the loss of your father. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Our hearts go out to each of you as you mourn for a wonderful father and husband!
I will miss our encounters on Bent Creek trails, and I often had his encouragement during the arduous races like Rock to Rock and Black and Blue.
Dear Joann, so sorry to learn of lloyd’s passing.I know your heart is broken.My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family.Love and prayers to all of you.
I was so lucky to have met Lloyd shortly after I moved to AVL! We shared many stories of running and I loved hearing him talk about wearing his Bear Bells! He loaned me an awesome trail running book, that helped guide me on many of my long trail runs! He will be missed! Prayers to all of his friends and family!:)
For 2 years while worked in the office, our weekly walks to Wendy’s were special times for Lloyd and myself. After all these years still remember several conversations that we had.
Rest in Peace my friend.
He was a wonderful supportive grandfather! We knew him through dance. May god bless him and his family. Pat and John Shepherd
Neal and Amy, thinking of you and your family and you once again go through grieving a loved one. I’m lifting up prayers this morning for God to wrap you in a his loving comfort during this time.
JoAnn. So sorry to hear the news about Lloyd’s death. I am thinking of you and your family at this time; Lloyd loved you and his girls beyond measure and was very proud of you all. He will surely be missed.
Lloyd was one of the toughest, kindest, most honest and best confidants a trail runner could ever want to spend miles with. He was truly genuine and our world has a big hole today.
We all learned a lot from Lloyd over the years. If you haven’t bumped into him on the MTS, you just haven’t been running enough. Red
Lloyd always had a way of making life seem better everytime I had the gift of his presence, and I always hoped I could reflect that for him and carry it forward to others. I hope the family can carry the joy of his life forward too.
Dear JoAnn and family, Our hearts are deeply sad and our prayers are with you.We didn’t get to visit much. The few times we did ,Lloyd was such a joy. We as well as all who knew him will miss him and his stories. Rest in peace Lloyd, your cousin Gayle and Don Boldt,
Amy, Mrs. Basted, family, friends and loved ones, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. How fitting that a proud US Veteran would choose September 11 to pass into eternity. and Tracy are celebrating their reunion, I am sure! My prayers and thoughts are with you all all at this sad time. I wish for you a peace that truly passeth all human understanding.
I am so sorry for the loss in your Basten family praying for you and your family in time of need stay strong and hold on to each other in your time of need.
My thoughts, prayers, and condolences go to the entire Basten family. Lloyd was not only a fellow running buddy, but a friend and fellow communicant at Calvary Episcopal.
He mentored and inspired so many and his memory will ever live on.
JoAnn and Family, My deepest sympathy for your loss.
My prayers & condolences are with you all! Mr Basten was such a sweet & kind man to us all throughout our school days. May you all feel his presence daily & know he will always be with you. Prayers for the next days to come & the days following, with deepest sympathy on your loss.
God Bless you all
Dear JoAnn and family, Gail and I are truly sorry for your loss. Lloyd spoke often of his special family and we always sensed the love and pride that he felt for you. I always called Lloyd ‘my mentor’ in trail running. He spent many fun miles with so many of us in the woods. I will never forget that wonderful smile, the encouragement, the funny comments, and above all, the sincere hug from a friend.
Best wishes to you JoAnn and all the family.
Every time our paths crossed in the fall season, the conversation would inevitably turn to football and of course the Packers. I’ll miss our random encounters and conversations we would have on the trails.
When running with a group, Lloyd always made sure the slowest runner was never left behind. He would circle back with words of encouragement and support. Lloyd was a real people-person, and is already missed in the running community. Blessings to his family and friends.
Our Deepest Sympathies for your loss.
In our earlier lives, Lloyd and I were friends who shared the same work place. I treasure the many conversations we had about our military service and our work challenges.
Lloyd was a great friend. I was able to become well acquainted with him, during my 20 plus years running from the downtown Y. He was humble and always had a kind word for you. I was running every other day; he told me, ‘Steve, you would feel better if you ran every day’. I did not do that, but, he certainly could and did. He finally told me–not in a bragging way–about his football and track days, as well as helping a blind girl run in AVL. I know he had some falls when his eyesight grew dimmer, but he kept running. The Y was a big part of his life, starting when he was growing up in Wisconsin. In my last conversation with him, he told me he had run 164,000 miles. Wow! I really miss him.
JoAnn and family,
I was so sorry to hear of Lloyd’s passiing. My heartfelt sympathy to all of you.I ran into him often at the Y and in the neighborhood and he was always smiling! May the love and sweet memories sustain you all..Beverly Amendola
I worked with Lloyd for almost 30 years at Gerber in Asheville. Lloyd was an honorable man and a good friend. I always valued his friendship. I’ve not been able to get out much over the past few years, but Lloyd always managed to stay in contact. He will be missed.
An inspiration who knew everyone as a friend. He was always a treat to meet on the trail. He will be missed. I am fortunate to have called him a friend.
Joanne and girls,
So sorry for your loss. I worked with Lloyd
for many years at Gerber. He loved his 4 girls
and always shared funny things his little
ones would say. May God Bless and sustain
you at this sad time.