Rosalene Plumlee Bassett, 91, died on March 1, 2021, in Texarkana, Texas, following a lengthy illness. A private service will be held in Weatherford, Texas.
Rosalene was born Nov. 6, 1929, in Peaster, TX., to Frank and Ethel Plumlee. She attended school in Peaster, TX and graduated from high school in 1947. She went on to attend Weatherford College and graduated from North Texas State College. She married Charles L. Bassett on Aug. 26, 1951 and moved to Gainesville, TX where they lived until moving to Plainview, TX in 1960.
She continued her career as an elementary teacher with the Plainview ISD for 26 years. Although she taught fourth grade much of the time, she also taught kindergarten through sixth grade. She was named Edgemere Elementary School’s Outstanding Teacher for the 1988-89 school year. She retired in 1992.
Following Charles’ retirement from Wayland Baptist University in 2002, they moved to Weatherford where they lived until moving to Texarkana in 2009. She was preceded in death by Dr. Bassett in 2014.
She was actively involved in First Baptist Church of Plainview for the 42 years she lived there, including teaching Sunday School. She was an avid lover of nature and enjoyed bird watching on the farm in Weatherford. Her grandchildren spent every Thanksgiving on the farm while they were growing up then and have often returned with their children to continue the tradition. Rosalene instilled in her children and grandchildren a love of plants, animals, reading and the importance of family.
She is survived by her sons, Charles L. Bassett, Jr. of Texarkana and his wife, Trina and Greg Bassett of Houston and his wife, Claire. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Charles L. Bassett, III of Coeur d’Alene, ID and his wife, Cortny; Sarah Bassett Thomasson of Malvern, AR, and her husband, John; Allison Bassett Ratto of Silver Spring, MD and her husband, Chris; and Captain Colin Bassett of Fort Drum, NY and his wife, Jennifer. She was also blessed with six great grandchildren, Leah Bassett, Charles L. Bassett, IV, Emilia Thomasson, Lillian Ratto, Nathan Ratto and Colin Willis Bassett, Jr.
She leaves behind numerous members of her extended family including three brothers, Howard, Ronald and Donald Plumlee and a sister, Evelyn Simpkins. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Wesley and Troy Plumlee.
