Petunia Fay Basham, 96, went to be with her heavenly family on July 29th after a long and difficult fight with dementia. Fay was born on January 15th, 1927, to John Loyd Frith and Emma Stiles Frith in Charleston, Texas. Fay attended and graduated from East Delta High School in 1945 as Salutatorian. She was Vice President of her class and Editor of the High School Newspaper. Immediately after graduation she married Ralph Allen Basham of Pacio on May 26, 1945, in Pacio. They had three children, Lloyd born in 1947, Allen born in 1949, and Norman born in 1951. Fay and Ralph farmed in the Pacio community until 1961. It was a hard life, but she never complained. In fact, she made all the boys’ clothes until they became pre-teens. After becoming employed with Hagger Slacks in Greenville, Texas as a seamstress, they moved to Commerce. Prior to her and Ralph’s retirement, and after fulfilling their dreams of sending their sons to college, they returned to the Pacio community and built a home on the same land they had farmed in their early life together.
She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge in Cooper. She was a member of the Pacio Baptist Church in Pacio until moving to Commerce and becoming a member of the First Baptist Church. At the time of her death, she was a member of First Baptist Church in Cooper and loved all her Sunday School class members.
She lived all her life in Delta County except for the 10 years in Commerce.
She and Ralph’s travels were limited to California, South Dakota, and Virginia. She spent years enjoying ancestry research with Ralph and sewing clothes for the grandchildren. She was constantly stitching up something wonderful for the grandkids with scraps she brought home from Hagger’s. She had a passion for quilting and every new grandbaby got one made especially for them. One of her favorite pastimes was picking up pecans and shelling them while visiting with friends on the front porch. There really wasn’t anything she couldn’t do and DO WELL whether in the field, at work, or at home. And for someone who never asked for a lot…she did a lot!
Fay was a positive disciplinary to her sons, but she was gentle and kind and provided them, as well as her husband, mentorship, counseling, and advising. She always seemed to have the correct solution to every problem. She provided this guidance through her Christian life. She was responsible for bringing her husband to salvation with God. She was extremely insistent that her sons would obtain a college education for which she was rewarded. She was consistently helpful in her interface with other people with the comment “is there anything I can do?” If you needed help or a friend, she was the go-to person. She provided love for her family and will be missed but Heaven is a better place with her arrival.
She was preceded in death by her parents, four sisters, a brother, her husband Ralph, her youngest son Norman, and many friends.
She is survived by her sons Lloyd Basham and wife Donna of Commerce, Texas; Allen Basham and wife Beverly of Forney, Texas; and daughter in law Janet Basham (wife of Norman) of Commerce, Texas; six grandchildren- Kevin Basham of Denver, Colorado; Jason Basham of Commerce; Adam Basham of Rowlett; Kari Bogusch and her husband Charles of Forney; Christy Plumlee and her husband Michael of Commerce; and Rebecca Dudley and her husband Brandon of Keller, Texas; 10 great grandchildren,
three great-great-children, and sister-in-law Thelma Medlin of Fort Bragg, California and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Saturday, August 6 at 9:30 am at Bright-Holland Funeral Home, 2601 Lamar Avenue, Paris, Texas followed by Funeral Services at 10:00am.
Honorary pallbearers are Kevin Basham, Jason Basham, Adam Basham, Charles Bogusch, Austin Driver, Michael Plumlee, and Brandon Dudley.
To leave a message or tribute for the family please visit www.brighthollandfuneralhome.com
