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BORN
1925
DIED
2013
John Bascom Obituary
Dad's surgical innovation focused on the problem of Pilonidal disease an abscess on the buttocks that was a particular problem during World War II. He developed a new way to treat the disease and doggedly spread the word through personal contacts, professional articles, speaking engagements, one-on one training of interested surgeons, and a co-developed patient -centered blog. He recently traveled to Turkey and met with surgeons who had adopted his methods for treating Pilonidal disease.
Life was an adventure for Dad. An adventure meant being faced with a problem and figuring out a solution. If afterward, there was a good story to tell, that was an added bonus. As often as not, the stories demonstrated one of his favorite sayings (thanks to Simon Bolivar): "Good judgment comes from experience, and experience?well that comes from bad judgment". A more detailed description of Dad's adventures can be found in the Eugene Register Guard article: http://www.registerguard.com/rg/news/local/29633710-75/bascom-john-eugene-paul-bicycle.html.csp.
For years, Dad spent every Monday morning on the slopes of Mt. Pisgah with a park clean-up work party. Even as his ability to talk was failing and single words took several long seconds of patience, every week he took his same stiff leather work gloves, his time-dulled clippers, and he set to work on the thorny blackberries rising in the grass.
John is survived by his six children and fourteen grandchildren. His wife, Ruth, passed away in 2010. The family would like to acknowledge the terrific facility and staff at Elder Health in Springfield where they understand that life can be rich even for those with significant memory issues.
A service to Celebrate his Life will be held May 31 at
2 p.m. at First Congregational Church in Eugene. The family suggests donations to friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for John Bascom
Linda Foreman
January 17, 2014
I have posted previously. I think about this man during the holiday season. He was amazingly kind man. I was one of the worst patients that he saw and did surgery on. I have had a few problems with my health. But this man was amazing. He was a honest and loving man. I hope that my story my have help someone. I had an illeostomy when I was 23. Lost a husband after 15 years of marriage. Numberous surgeries. And had a lot of bad surgeons. He promised me that he would take care of me. Since 1998 I have had some absences and have only had 3 surgeons since 1998. Compared to almost 30 surgeries between 1981 to 1991. I am now 56 years old and my second husband and I are adopting my husband's grandchildren which I was never able to have children. My story goes on and on. But through faith and prayers I was brought to this man. He changed my life and gave me back my faith. He was awesome! If anyone would like to contact me try [email protected]
Suzanne Wheeler Watt
January 16, 2014
Jan 16 2014.I learned today that John had joined Ruth, my husband, and all our old gang from K State in the world beyond. Blessings on all his descendants! I wish I knew you all!
January 16, 2014
Jan.16,2014.I learned today of John's passing. He&Ruth,my husband & I were part of a gang at KState who had marvelous times together. We were able to see them during his residency in Chicago together with the older children, and again in Eugene. My husband also died in 2013. My condolences to his children, but I know they are blessed with huge memories from life with Ruth& John..and music, poety, etc.etc. It was a wonderful life!!Suzanne Wheeler Watt St.Charles,IL
John and Ruth with 2 of their grandchildren.
Debra Donbraska
June 14, 2013
Ki-Won Rhew
June 11, 2013
Dr. John Bascom has left a huge bequest in amount of approximately $59,000.00 to Eugene's four sister city programs, which would be distributed through Eugene Sister Cities Foundation of which I have been president for many years. Serving for the Eugene's Korean sister city program I was lucky to do several community projects with them such as a brush painting exhibition by a Jinju artist, receiving Jinju City Delegation, supporting recruitment of Hyundai Semiconductor (Hynex) to Eugene, guiding their visit to Jinju and Seoul and participating in the celebration of opening Willamette Street. Their strong support for promoting international friendship was remarkable.
I was able to arrange Dr. Bascom's visit to Gyeongsang National University Hospital in Jinju and he was interested in showing his hernia surgery technique over internet to surgeons in Jinju later. However, telecommunication technical difficulty in 1996 was problematic to cancel that unfortunately. He also visited a cardiac surgeon Meong-Gun Song's operation facility at Asan Medical Center in Seoul. Dr. Song is my wife Youn-Keun's younger brother. He was impressed with the advancement in medicine in Korea. By the way two Meong-Gun Song's Comprehensive Arotic Root and Valve Repair (CARVAR) centers are being built as part of Yinchuan Cardiovascular Center in Ningxia, in Hui Autonomous Region and also Mudanjiang Cardiovascular Hospital in Heilongjiang province in China. Having thee physicians and a professor of Epidemiology in my family in addition to Dr. Song above I felt some closeness to the Bascoms. They became one of the first customers of PacInfo, my company, at that time, when I started Internet Service Providing services in 1995. I enjoy visiting Eugene Public Library and biking on Ruth Riverbank Trail thinking of them.
The attached picture was taken during Mayor Kitty Piercy's opening remark for the ceremonial biking in memory of Ruth on September 1, 2010.
Thanks to John and Ruth Bascom for their legacy left to the people of Eugene and the world!!
Linda Foreman
June 5, 2013
This man saved my life in so many ways. In 1998 I had another breakdown and infection. I was 40 years old and had gone through 20 + suregeries since the age of 23. He was suggested by University of Washington. I had come to not trust very many doctors and their promises. I was on my second marriage and my husband and I were separated. We went down to Eugene and after Dr. Baxcom remarked that I had the deepest butt crack that he had ever seen, he promised me that he could fix me. And that is just what he did. In 2007 I had a small absess in my groin area and it was very simple surgery. He not only talked with the surgeon in Washington state but he called me at worked once a week. I sent photos of my healing progress and he came up with the thought that I need to get air circulated and sent me a small mess to wear. It worked! He was an amazing and very kind man. I want his family to know he blessed me medically and spiritually. One of best doctors I have ever met. My sincere condolences to his family.
Brittney Barnett
May 30, 2013
Dr. Bascom literally saved my life. I suffered with pilonidal disease for 5 over five years with 4 surgeries that left me with an open wound. In 2007, I traveled to Oregon and met with Dr. John Bascom and his son Dr. Tom Bascom and had my 5th and final surgery the next day. I have enjoyed complete healing for almost 6 years and will remember this man fondly for giving me my life back. He is a wonderful man that was devoted to healing and for that I am eternally grateful!
May 25, 2013
The Bascom boys and their parents lived just down the street from us on Fairchild in Manhattan. That whole family continues to be a great source of appreciation and inspiration for all they were able to accomplish as professionals and good citizens. Dr. George was a particular friend. Dick and Sandra Haines, Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 24, 2013
I never had the privilege of meeting this great man. His expertise, his professional knowledge is followed by his son, a doctor himself. My heartfelt condolences to the entire family. The world lost a great man but Heaven gained him. God Bless.
Judy Wenger
May 12, 2013
This man literally saved my life after I had my first child. In a very rare situation, giving birth caused my intestines to rupture. Dr.Bascom was the surgeon who fixed that problem, and performed three subsequent surgeries within the 26 days I spent in the hospital. I have forever been grateful. What an amazing man and life he lead. Blessings to the family.
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