Rebecca Renee Basham

Happy Birthday to Rebecca Basham. She would have been 50 today. She will always be remembered with love and missed by the ones who loved her. As always, we will have dinner with a toast in her honor tonight. If you knew Rebecca, wherever you are, lift your glass to honor her life with us. It was how she said she would like to be remembered.

My dear sweet becca nae, we are heartbroken and sad. We will always love you and miss you. From the time you were born you were such a beautiful girl and the world will never be the same with you not in it.Rest in peace sweet angel.Your Bowling Green Ky family loves you and your sisters very much.

So Sorry for the families loss. Larry I am so sorry for the loss of your daughter. I know you will never feel this pain again with the love and comfort your step children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. We love you to the moon and back.

I took several classes with Rebecca as an undergraduate at Rider University. I also saw her almost daily outside of that, as I worked in the department during my entire undergraduate career. She was extremely kind, knowledgeable, and down to earth, with a humorous, welcoming personality. She helped me immeasurably as a student, and she was even the person who encouraged me to go into teaching. After I earned my MFA, she offered me two classes at Rider and became a mentor to me. She was always happy to give me advice and hear my thoughts about teaching. I'll always remember her for these qualities, and I'll forever be indebted to her for all she has done to make me a better writer, reader, thinker, teacher, and person.

My heart breaks in a way I cannot begin to explain. My best friend for so long and always in my heart. Rebecca was fierce and passionate. The world has lost a light. I regret my son will not meet her. Steve and I are sending our thoughts to Ms Puryear, Laura and Ginny.

My angel, I know you will be missed a lot by all of us. I love you very much. You got your wings forever now. Fly so high, touch the sky, and teach them well.

I enjoyed working on committees with Rebecca and will miss our many conversations about her creative work, teaching, the arts, and feminism.

Rebecca will truly be missed by all who truly knew her. Beautifully described as being brash, feisty, and witty, and she was indeed all of this and more; She was remarkably smart, fun, and yes indeed, witty! She became part of our family from the first moment Terry introduced her. I regret that we will never be able to enjoy her "greatest piece" she planned to write and put to a comedy about our family, poking fun at our New Orleans pronunciations and Cajun cultural differences. Our love and prayers go out to Ms Regina, Ginny, Laura, and her Kentucky Grandma. Gone, but Never Forgotten, May she Rest in Peace!

I was saddened to hear of Rebecca's passing. I always enjoyed meeting her around campus - we always had a great laugh together - and I admired her and her work enormously. I will miss her dearly.

Rebecca Basham was my mentor through my undergraduate education. She wasn't afraid to push me. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She wrote my recommendation for graduate school and assured me that I was meant to follow my dreams. I'll miss you.

I consider it an honor and a blessing to have known Rebecca. I worked with her on a committee at Rider, and she injected intelligence and great humor, and made it one of the most memorable experiences of my career. She will be missed by all of us, but we will never forget her. My sincere condolences to all of her friends and family members.

I regret that I didn't spend more time with Rebecca when she was at Rider. It was always refreshing to be with someone who called things like they are and not take any guff, wielding her sardonic wit like a surgeon's blade. Indeed she will be missed. My deepest condolences to Terry and Rebecca's family.

Sending love to family and friends.

Rebecca and I first became acquainted on a bus trip to Washington, where we Riderites participated in a march supporting a woman's right to choose. I can't recall the year or the particular challenge that catalyzed the march. But it was a beautiful Sunday (in autumn, I think) and Rebecca was still very mobile and, of course, her usual feisty self.

Later, I had the pleasure of a leisurely dinner with her prior to attending and observing an honors class she was team-teaching with Frank Rusciano. The course was "The Sixties." Dinner was Italian with a decent bottle of wine and even better conversation. The class observation was an enjoyable chore for me.

Based on these two encounters, as well as many casual ones on campus, I wish I could have known her better and that we could have had her here at Rider University a whole lot longer.

Jim Castagnera
Associate Provost/Legal Counsel for Academic Affairs

During my time at Rider, Professor Basham was one of the most outspoken, unapologetically brash, and most enjoyable instructors I had the good fortune to study under. Her unique approach and larger than life spirit made my Rider experience, especially my senior year, indispensable. My heart goes out to all her colleagues, friends, and family, as well as those who will never have the opportunity to learn from her.

In 1995, Rebecca wrote in a letter to me: "I am a writer. I can't forget that. I am a writer. I will write." And she did...beautifully, powerfully. Thank you, my Lady Brett, for giving me some of the best memories of my life. Forever tight. Love, Jake

Rebecca, you will be sorely missed by all who knew you.

I will keep my promise....

She was all they say and more. More is a sweet, honest, beautiful person that felt more deeply than anyone could imagine. i sat with her on her first time aboard an aircraft. she squeezed my hand and cried as the plane took off. it was the first time i saw past that hard exterior to the fragile soul inside. the world seems less without you in it sweet Becca.

My friend, you left an impression that will live on forever. So saddened by your loss.

Thank you for giving me and the courage to write whatever was in my heart. Thank you for being a role model to myself and my fellow students. They're watching some great plays in heaven now.

Rebecca... thank you being my friend!! You will be missed!!
Love you!!
Sal

"I Loved You First"
Words of parting said with smiles. It started as a challenge to whoever we were dating at the time, "I don't care who comes along, remember, I loved you first." And she did. She loved me enough to stand beside me at my wedding and hold my hand through my divorce. She loved me enough to share a house in the hood with me and a small apartment in New Jersey. She loved me along with Spike. She loved my son and taught him that love knows no color. She also taught him that the refrigerator magnet that said "boys are stupid, throw rocks at them" didn't apply to the 8 year old who called her Aunt Bec.
I've lost so many pictures but none of the images in my head.
I had a chance to tell her that I loved her and to hear her laugh and say she loved me back. I guess I get to love her last as well.