Joseph Paul Basli

Joseph Paul Basli
March 9, 1948 – November 29, 2025
It is with broken hearts that the family of Joe Basli announces his sudden death due to heart complications.
Joe was born in Yonkers, New York on March 9, 1948. He joined the Air Force immediately after graduating high school and was stationed at Aviano Air Force Base for three years. When he completed his service, Joe drove cross country in a VW Bug and attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon until he received a call from his Dad in New York asking him to come home because they missed him. So he packed up his Beetle and drove back to Yonkers.
After working briefly with his Dad installing aluminum siding and windows he knew that he did not want to do physical labor all his life so he obtained a job with the County of Westchester in White Plains, NY as a clerk. It was then that he saw a future and he enrolled in Iona College. Joe was fiercely driven to succeed and moved up the ladder quickly to Assistant Director of Environmental Facilities
In 1979 Joe was recruited to Citibank and they sent him to Columbia University Executive Program where he earned a Masters Degree in Business. He held many positions at CITI, none being more exciting than working on Wall Street. His final position at the time of his retirement was Vice President, Global Liaison for Audit and Review in Stamford, Connecticut.
When Joe was accepted into the program at Columbia he then knew that he could offer Karen and Scott a future. They married on Christmas Eve 1978 and Joe took on the new role of husband and stepfather. They bought their first house in Mahopac, New York but moved several times including living in Westport, Connecticut for 20 years. Although Joe loved his career with CITI he always looked forward to retirement. In 2008 he retired and they sold their home in Westport and purchased one near their son Scott in Mahopac, NY and another at Kensington Country Club in Naples, Florida.
While working at CITI Joe volunteered for Junior Achievement where he taught public school students how to manage money. His most recent and most loved charitable work was with Home Base under the direction of his dear friend General Fred Franks. He could never get over the fact that in this country an Air Force veteran with a Class E-1 could live across the street from a Retired General who commanded the Gulf War Coalition VII Corps. Initially Joe was in awe of General Franks but eventually that developed into a close friendship.
One of Joe's greatest loves was golf. He had been a member at Mahopac Golf Club since the 1980's and a member of Kensington since 2008. His happiest days were playing on those two courses with his friends. He had a deep love for his family and friends. He is survived by his wife Karen, son Scott, daughter-in-law Susie, his brother Robert and his wife Marla, and several loving nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews.
Visiting will be held on Monday, December 8 from 4-7 pm at Joseph J. Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Services will take place on Tuesday, December 9 at 11 am with interment to follow at Union Valley Cemetery in Mahopac.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Joseph to any of the following charities of which he was fond of ; The Salvation Army, The American Red Cross, The American Heart Association or Doctors Without Borders.