Basil C Binckley

Born to Basil Andrew and Helen Louise Binckley in Los Angeles, CA in 1927, Basil was the oldest son of four children, 3 boys and 1 girl. The family moved from Los Angeles to Claremont, CA, where Basil attended Claremont High School, graduating in 1945. He went on to college at Santa Clara University, majoring in engineering. He graduated from the College of Engineering with his brother, James, in 1950 with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering.

He met and married the love of his life, Sarah D. Wheelock, in 1952. The next year, 1953, they had their first child, a son, followed by their second son the year after that. Then the girls came along in 1956, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, and 1966. All were born in Fontana's Kaiser Hospital, amazingly.

Basil began his engineering career soon after graduation. He worked for Hunter Engineering, Kaiser Steel Corporation, AMAX Aluminum Company which became Alumax during his employment, and he retired from Alumax in 1992 at the age of 65. These different jobs took him and his family from Claremont to Ontario, CA in 1952, then to Joliet, Illinois in 1968, and back to California, to Riverside in 1974, where Basil and Sally have resided ever since.

Basil taught all his children about sports. He also loved to take the family camping, visiting 46 of the 50 states. He went on several cruises and vacations with Sally, friends, and family.

Basil loved airplanes, had several models of them in his den, with several books about flying. With one son-in-law becoming a pilot, that was the closest he would get to flying a plane himself, and that made him very happy.

Basil was a devout Catholic, raised all eight children in parochial schools and Catholic High Schools, was a founding member of the Chapter of Knights of Columbus at Saint Thomas the Apostle parish, a lector, a parish council member, and member of the Ways and Means Committee over the years. He was involved with Boy Scouts in Ontario as well.

Basil is preceded in death by his parents, Basil A. and Helen Binckley, his younger brother, Jim and wife Virginia 'Polly' Binckley, his sister-in-law, Barbara Binckley, his brother-in-law, Richard 'Dick' Byrne, and his sister- and brother-in-law, Virginia and Jack Turner. Surviving family members include his beloved wife of 73 years, Sarah 'Sally' Binckley 96, two sons, Michael 'Daedalus' Binckley, Charles (Chuck) Binckley, six daughters and their spouses, Marilyn and Mark Crain, Anne and Cliff Seratte, Carol and Jim Hogerty, Jean and Glenn Angenent, Martha and Steve Mann, Cecilia 'Ceci' and Alan Neal, as well as 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and a boat load of lifetime friends and extended family.

Services are as follows:

Rosary and viewing will be held on Monday, February 2, 2026, from 4PM to 8PM

At Preston and Simons Mortuary, 3358 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA 92501

Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 11 AM

At Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 3774 Jackson Street, Riverside, CA 92503

Graveside services will be at 1PM at Olivewood Memorial Park

Located at 3300 Central Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506

A reception will follow at Saint Thomas the Apostle Hall next to the school.