Eddie Basler

August 30, 2017

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Eddie Basler, Jr., 93, passed away on August 30, 2017. He was born in the Bridgecreek area, Grady County, Oklahoma, March 25, 1924, to Dovie and Edward Basler. Following high school graduation, he attended Okmulgee Tech where we learned to weld, after which he moved to Seattle to work on battleships. He later entered the US Army and served as a radio operator for the 106th Infantry. Following the end of WWII, he enrolled at OU where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in plant physiology. Eddie then entered the doctoral program at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. There, he met Ruby Nell Norman, and they were married in 1956. Following graduation, he accepted the position of plant physiologist at Oklahoma State University, retiring as a professor in 1990. He was widely published and served as a mentor for many students, as well as had several leadership positions. During retirement, he farmed, raised cattle, gardened, and became an accomplished woodworker. Eddie was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Eileen Stacy. He is survived by his wife, Ruby Nell, daughter Susan Tomlinson (Tommy), son Steven (Peggy), son Mike (Zoila), Barry (Ruth Ann), and brothers Jerry and Dee, as well as by nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.