He’s done so much, he saw so much, he suffered so much, but he lived a lot and now he’s called to a better place to be with his beloved wife, Mabel.

James “Jim” Joseph Basta, 105, of Great Falls, passed away on Saturday, June 3, 2017 with his family present.  A Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 7th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the Rose Room Chapel at Croxford Funeral Home.  A Funeral Service is scheduled for Thursday, June 8th at 1:00 PM in the Rose Room Chapel with Burial to follow at Highland Cemetery.  The family is planning a Celebration of Life later this summer.

Jim was born August 4, 1911, in Trinidad, Colorado.  He moved to Montana when he was a young man.  He met the love of his life, Mabel Marie Hooker, in Gibson Park.  Out of their marriage two sons were born, James M. Basta and Martin S. Basta. 

J.J., as his friends called him, started work with the WPA, then got a job with the City of Great Falls as a truck driver.  When the east base of Great Falls was under construction he was on the job as a fire watch with a water truck.  When the base was finished, the government hired him to work in the fire station.  James Basta became Fire Chief and was retired after 20 years.  He then worked for Boeing as a missile inspector.  He also hauled mail from Great Falls to Loma for quite a few years.

James was an avid sportsman, loved to hunt and fish and travel.  His trip of a lifetime was going to Alaska in a motor home. 

Survivors include his son, Martin (Karen) Basta; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 22 great-great-grandchildren.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Annie Basta; wife of 73 years, Mabel; son, James M. Basta and ten siblings.

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