Fannie Leslie "Dee" Basim

Fannie Leslie “Dee” Basim passed away peacefully on January 13, 2022 in Lawrenceville, Georgia, age 102. She was born December 29, 1919 on the family farm in Bowie, Maryland, to Leslie and Mary (Luers) Basim. When she was 4 years old, her father built a house in town where she lived for the next 95 years. She moved to Georgia to live with her nephew Jim in 2019, and moved into Delmar Gardens Assisted Living 4 months ago to live next door to her sister.

She attended public schools in Bowie, graduating in 1936. Her first job was working in her Luers uncles’ grocery store. After completing some bookkeeping courses, she took a job in the accounting department at Garfinkel’s in Washington, DC. She moved on to a position at Hamilton National Bank before coming to the Bank of Bowie, where she eventually became manager. She was respected as friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful by the community she served, making many life-long connections.

She took early retirement in 1976 to help look after aging relatives. She was an active member of St. James Episcopal Church. She enjoyed reading, photography, and gardening, and her yard was a showplace in spring. She enjoyed cheering on the Orioles, Nats, and after her move to Georgia, the Braves. She was an avid collector of many things, including Santas, postcards, teacups, hats, thimbles, and salt cellars.  During her 99 years in Bowie, she became an expert in all things local, and was a founding member of the Huntington Heritage Society, and a docent at the Railroad Museum. She and her older sister Mary wrote and edited several books about the area. Even after moving south, she continued meeting with the Heritage Society via Zoom.

Her “life poem” was an old hymn called “Others” by Charles D. Meigs. The refrain says, “Let this my motto be: Help me to live for others, that I may live like Thee.” In her work and community, she never met a stranger, and lived a life of service that resulted in deep friendships across generations.

Although she never married, she had a large extended family, including some she was actually related to. She was predeceased by her parents, sisters Mary Basim and Theresa Kieler, and brothers-in-law Ralph Kieler and Herbert Ferree. She is survived by her sister Katherine Ferree, niece Nancy (Rick Mitchell) Ferree, nephews Jim (Linda) and Dan (Kim) Ferree, great-nephews Paul (Erin) Ferree, Jay (Chia-Hsuan) Ferree, Patrick Mitchell, Sam Mitchell, Matthew (Jessica) Ferree, Ben Ferree, and great-niece Carly (Nathan) Favero. She is also survived by a great-grandnephew and great-grandniece, cousins, and a host of valued friends. The family is deeply appreciative of those who looked out for her while she was living alone.

When her sister and housemate, Mary, died in 2006, Fannie told of sitting on her sofa feeling bereft. Then she made up her mind to move forward and embrace the “next adventure.” Her spirit of optimism, faith, and resilience remained with her even as she anticipated this next adventure.