John Thomas “Jack” Bassett III passed away peacefully on March 18 following a brief illness. Jack was born 13 August 1921 in Toledo, Ohio. He was the son of John Thomas “Jay” Bassett, Jr. of Cornwall, England and Mittie Reba Johnson of Jeffersonville, Georgia. Jack, the eldest of four sons, moved with his family to Decatur in 1929, a time when Decatur had many more horses and buggies than autos, and remained a Decatur/DeKalb resident for the remainder of his life. After graduating from Druid Hills High School in 1938, Jack met the love of his life and married Edith Nash, a lifelong DeKalb resident, on March 1, 1942, and after more than 67 years of marriage, Edith was at his bedside at the time of his death. As a depression-era 13 year old, Jack began to milk cows in exchange for the milk. As a student at Druid Hills High School in the 1930’s, he arrived late and left early so that he could run what had become a fully operational dairy farm; located first on Clairmont Road at North Druid Hills Road, and later on Lawrenceville Highway. In 1940 he consolidated resources with his parents to purchase property on Covington Highway in DeKalb County where he owned and operated Fernside Dairy until 1958. During the 1950’s Fernside supplied milk for households and notable commercial establishments in the Atlanta/Emory area, including Plaza Drugs, Horton’s, Stacy’s and others. A dairyman at heart, Jack’s later career primarily consisted of work in metro dairies. He also worked in sales and security. During his career, Jack attended Georgia Tech and ended his career in 2007 as a school crossing guard for the DeKalb Public Safety Department. Jack’s passions included devotion to family, church, storytelling, and cowboy poets. He was an avid gardener; always growing more than he could use for the love of sharing. He never met a stranger. He was a near lifelong Methodist and was an active member of the Glenwood Hills Masonic Lodge. Jack is survived by his wife, Edith Nash Bassett of Decatur, and his brother, Paul Toms Bassett and his wife Juanita Jeroe Bassett of Richmond, Virginia. He is also survived by sisters- and brothers-in-law, Evelyn Wilder Bassett of Thomaston, Charles Donald Nash and Dot Cheek Nash of Decatur, and Donna Pauline Nash of Tucker. He is also survived by daughters Beverly June Bassett of Olympia, Washington and Betty Reba Sule of Lilburn. Also by his sons John Thomas Bassett IV and his wife Patricia Jean Bassett of Marietta, and Edward Nash Bassett and his wife Lynn Marie Bassett of Olympia, Washington. Jack is a survived by seven grandchildren; Laura Kathleen Sule of Atlanta, Alex Michael Sule of Atlanta, Mark Sule of Lilburn, Shannon Bassett of Smyrna, John Thomas “Jay” Bassett V and his wife Jessica of Mableton, and Luke Edward Bassett and Larkin Nash Bassett; both of Olympia Washington. Jack’s life and love was also enhanced by and extended to many wonderful and devoted nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Family and friends will be received from 3 – 6 pm on Saturday, March 21 at A. S. Turner. The Funeral will be on Sunday, March 22 at 2:30 pm at Avondale Pattillo United Methodist Church, 3260 Covington Hwy, Decatur, GA 30032, phone (404) 294-4063, Rev. David Allen Grady officiating. Interment will be at Rehoboth Cemetery on Lawrenceville Highway in Decatur. A. S. Turner & Sons
