Ray S. BASSETT

     Ray S. BASSETT, son of Wilmer Wilson BASSETT and Ruby Henry BURT, was born on 12 June 1925 in Monticelllo, Jeffersonn County, Florida.¹

Ray served in the U. S. Army Air Corps in Italy during World War II. He was a pilot of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning aircraft, flying 18 unarmed photographic reconaissance missions from Peretola Airfield near Florence, Italy with the 12th Air Force, 3rd Photo Reconaissance Group, 4th Photo Reconaissance Squadron between February and May 1945.²

Ray S. BASSETT moved from Jacksonville, Florida to Ocala, Fllorida, 1971 He lived in Ocala until his death.³

Ray S. BASSETT died on 17 May 2007 in Jacksonville, Florida, at age 81.⁴ He was buried in Roseland Cemetery, Monticello, Jefferson County, Florida.

Ray's obituary was printed on 20 May 2007 in the Ocala Star-Banner newspaper, published in Ocala, Florida. "Ray S. Bassett, 81, of Ocala, FL, passed away on Thursday, May 17, 2007 at St. Luke's Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. A native of Monticello, FL, he had made Ocalla his home since 1971, moving from Tallahassee, FL. He was part owner of North Florida Transport in Summerfield, FL and stock holder of Bassett Dairy in Monticello. He served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during WWII. Survivors include: daughter, Cile MacKinnon of the Villages, FL; two sons, Ray S. Bassett, Jr. of Okeechobee, FL and Robert A. Bassett of Tallahassee; three brothers, H. Burt Bassett of Tallahassee, Curry J. Bassett of Punta Gorda, FL and James C. Bassett, Sr. of Perry, FL; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Visitation will be held from 2-5 PM, with a service at 4:30 PM Sunday, May 20, 2007 at Heirs Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held the following day, Monday, May 21, 2007 at 12 PM at Roseland Cemetery, Monticello, FL; In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to National D-Day Museum at 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 701301."