Surrounded
by loved ones, Gene A. Baskette, known to all as Uncle, lost his
battle with cancer on February 11, 2025.
Uncle
Baskette was born in Groton, Vt., on August 15, 1951. He grew up on
the go, homeschooled and traveling the Northeast with his family, and
later split his time between Manhattan and Waterbury, Vt.
Uncle
relished his life in New York and pursued a successful career in the
rodenticide and pest management industries for more than four
decades. He became a strong and consistent force in multiple citywide
running groups (CP-UES, UWS 2010s) while training for many endurance
races with his prized dogs. Uncle’s other great passion was birding,
a practice that followed him from the depths of Vermont’s woodlands
to the winding, oak-lined paths of Central Park.
With
his vast knowledge of late 19th-century barbed wire, he was a proud
contributor to the Antique Barbed Wire Association’s annual
symposium reports until it ceased publication in 2020. He always
returned to Vermont for his cherished hunting seasons and, as an avid
adventurer, could be spotted challenging himself to winter hikes
there through this year. His love for animals was core to his being
and he donated generously to local and regional veterinary offices
throughout his life.
Uncle
Baskette is survived by his sisters (née Baskette), Ruby Fullman of
Scarborough, Maine, and Ivy Larwa of Waterbury, Vt.; his
later-in-life partner, Daisy Beem of Waterbury Center, Vt.; his
longtime caregiver; and countless friends who will miss him dearly. A
private memorial service and interment will take place in the spring.
This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 4, 2025.