The Rev. Arthur E. Basile

MADISON The Rev. Arthur E. Basile of Madison, Wis., died on Saturday Feb. 18, 2017, at The Haven (Attic Angel Place) at the age of 98. Art was born on June 1, 1918 in New Haven, Conn., where his father was the pastor of an Italian-American church. The family later moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., where he attended public schools through high school. He continued his education at Washington and Lee University followed by Colgate Rochester Divinity School. While teaching a Sunday school class as a seminarian, Art met and later married (1944) Betty Jean Swank. He was ordained to the ministry at the Canarsie Baptist Church, Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1942 followed by pastorates in Columbus and Norwalk, Ohio. In 1957 Art joined the Ohio Baptist Convention as Director of Youth Work and Camping. In 1963 he became Director of Christian Education (including youth work and camping) for the Wisconsin Baptist State Convention, retiring in 1983. Art had a deep love and passion for his family, his ministry, and for social justice. His favorite Bible verse (by which he lived his life) was Micah 6:8 and what is it that the Lord requires of you? To act justly, to love kindness, to walk humbly with your God. His sense of humor, compassion, and gracious nature continued to the end of his life and people who knew him described him as such a gentleman. Art will be greatly missed. He was predeceased by his wife, Betty, as well as his three brothers. He is survived by one sister-in-law, Anne Basile; four daughters, Susan (Bill) Hausler, Carolyn (Phillip) Dodds, Marianne (Jud) Hunt, Barbara Basile (Felix Lopez); eight grandchildren (who all loved him dearly), and a whole bunch of great-grandchildren! A memorial service will be held at FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, 518 N. Franklin Ave., Madison on Saturday, June 3, 2017 beginning at 3 p.m. Memorial donations may be made in Arts name to the First Baptist Church of Madison or to the Attic Angel Association. The family wishes to thank the caring and supportive staff at Attic Angels Households (assisted living) and Haven (memory care) where he spent the last decade of his life, as well as the team at Agrace HospiceCare who shepherded him over the past three months. All Faiths Funeral & Cremation Services Madison (608)442-0477 www.866allfaiths.com