Joseph Michael Basile of Lexington, Ma., where he has lived for over 60 years, died peacefully
on June 17 at the age of 95. Husband of June Palmer Basile, they would have celebrated their
70th anniversary on August 18th. He was born in 1919 in Northampton, Mass., son of the late
Michael and Natalie, who had seven children. His surviving sibling, a sister, Anne Gibb, is a
resident of Northampton.
He is also survived by two children, Joseph of New Caanan, Conn. and Janice Whittemore of
Lexington and their spouses, Cynthia Brown and Edwin Whittemore. June and Joseph have
been proud grandparents of four: Kimberly Harris of Acton, Ma. ;Katherine Collin of Lexington
and her spouse, Fraser Collin; Teddy Whittemore of Cambridge and Corban Basile of New
Caanan. He also enjoyed his four great-grandchildren: James Joseph, Maisie June, and
Micaela Marie Collin and Ava Grace Harris. He will be missed by all for his caring ways and, of
course, his funny jokes. He loved to read, cook, and do income taxes. He faithfully attended
daily mass and VFW meetings until recently.
Joseph was a graduate of Bentley College and served as President of their Alumni Association
for several years. He was a federal and state auditor for 37 years in the U.S. Department of
Health, Education and Welfare and then worked in the Massachusetts State Auditor's Office for
22 years. Joseph was also an Enrolled IRS agent. He served in the US Coast Guard in the
South Pacific during World War II.
Two of his proudest accomplishments related to serving young people in Lexington. He was a
scout leader with Troop 160 in Lexington for many years and served as Chairman of the Battle
Road District of the Boy Scouts of America. He was a Christian Doctrine Instructor at his parish,
St. Bridgid's, in Lexington.
Services through Douglas Funeral Home in Lexington and burial at Westview Cemetery,
Lexington will be private. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the MSPCA-Angell, 350 Huntington
Ave., Boston 02130 would be appreciated as he loved animals.