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- The Telegraph, May 20, 2015
Simone Bassett Robbins
Decatur, IL- When she was told three years ago that she had six weeks to live, Simone's determination to live redoubled so that she could spend as much time as possible with her family. After a decade of health challenges, Simone's final year and a half were spent in Illinois where she could be close to her grandchildren. Her family was blessed with more time?more time for band concerts, choir performances and holidays together. Simone lived to be 89, passing away at 9:55 a.m. on Saturday May 16, 2015 at Hickory Point Christian Village (Forsyth) in the company of her daughter Marise and beloved caregiver Aimee.
Simone was born in Fort Valley, GA on August 14, 1925, the third of five daughters born to Ralph and Henriette Bassett. Her upbringing at Pineola Farms was anything but ordinary with a beloved French mother who left Paris to come to Peach County Georgia as a WWI war bride. Simone's most cherished stories were those of her early years on the farm with her mother, father and sisters. These included true tales of her French mother graciously opening their home over the years to Royal Air Force cadets from England and Wales who were secretly training nearby and the friendships that ensued.
Simone was a life-long scholar, and member of Beta Phi Mu, who loved learning and teaching. She graduated with honor from Fort Valley High School in 1943. Simone earned four college degrees, the first an A.B. degree with a major in French, minor in English from Georgia State Woman's College (now known as Valdosta State College) in 1947. She greatly enjoyed attending French School at Middlebury College in Middlebury Vermont in the summer of 1947. Two years later (1949), she received her M.A. degree in French, minor in Comparative Literature from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
She met her husband, Dr. John "Al" Robbins while he was teaching at Duke University. They were married July 8, 1950 in Chapel Hill (NC) and moved to Bloomington Indiana where they lived near campus for all 42 years they were married. The couple spent one glorious year living in England and traveling throughout Europe thanks to a Fulbright Fellowship, allowing Simone to meet relatives of the RAF cadets and her own French ancestors.
Simone worked for the Indiana University library system from 1950 until 1962, most notably holding the position of Biology Librarian. She lovingly took time off from this career to raise her daughter Marise, returning to college to earn an M.A. degree in Library Science from Indiana University (Bloomington) in 1966. During these years Simone became a prolific gardener and wild flower expert. She learned wood carving, embroidery, and created original wooden toys. She was most happy when on a trail or sharing her garden with friends. At the age of 59, Simone earned her final college degree, a specialist degree (emphasis on information science) from the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University. She embarked on a new career at age 60 as a database manager for an I.U. biology professor at a time when the internet was just beginning to take hold.
Simone's love of adventure and the outdoors led her to ice fishing, hiking lava trails in Hawaii, "boom bumping" in Maine and chilly Christmas bird counts?all in the company of her family.
Simone was preceded in death by her parents, Raphael Phillipps Bassett and Henriette Alfonsine Bourdier Bassett; by her two oldest sisters, Beulah Fricke and Marguerite Harrison; and by her husband, Professor Emeritus Dr. John Albert Robbins, Jr.
Simone is survived by her daughter Marise Robbins-Forbes and her husband Guy Forbes of Decatur (IL); three grandchildren, Sydney (15) and Katie (12) Forbes and Alicia Spinelli of Minnesota. She is also survived by her two younger sisters, Marise E. Brink of Fort Collins, Colorado and Patsy B. Hilliard of Black Mountain, North Carolina. The family wishes to thank Simone's sisters Marise and Patsy for their steadfast love, prayers and outreach through both the good times and the more recent difficult days.
The family wishes to also express their great appreciation to Harborlight Hospice, Comfort Keepers and the many individuals who provided such wonderful care to Simone. Heartfelt and humbling appreciation is given to Simone's longest running and most faithful friends, Don and Judy Lorenzen and Glenda Bryant, for their decades of true friendship to Simone that allowed her to stay in her home, enjoying her garden for many years.
The family will receive friends in Illinois on Thursday May 21 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at Dawson-Wikoff Funeral Home, 105 W. Main St, in Mt. Zion. A celebration of life service will follow at 6:00pm with Pastor Kathy King-Nobles. Simone will then be returning to her home in Fort Valley, Georgia. The family will receive friends in Georgia on Sunday May 24 from Noon until 2pm at Pineola Farms, followed by a graveside service at Oak Lawn Cemetery.
Messages of condolence or flowers may be sent to the family at www.dawson-wikoff.com (IL) or www.rooksfuneralhome.com (GA). Memorial contributions may be given to Art with Heart c/o First United Methodist Church (Decatur, IL), a fund to assist individuals with medical needs.
There is a lot of history and other information about the farm located here. Pineola Farms has a rich history from Growing and Ginning of Cotton by a Stephen Elisha Bassett, a southern preacher to stories of British Cadets who spent some of their last days enjoying the hospitality of Henriette Bassett before flying and fighting in WWII to the present time as a pecan farm and wedding venue. We look forward to continuing the rich history and southern hospitality at Pineola Farms.
BELOW IS THE LETTER WE FOUND THE DAY WE CLOSED ON THE HOUSE. WE ALREADY NEW THE HOUSE HAD A LOT OF SPIRIT...THEN THIS LETTER. WE WERE CRYING SO MUCH, IT TOOK 5 FAMILY MEMBERS TO READ IT. WE CALLED INFORMATION AND GOT SIMONE'S PHONE NUMBER AND CALLED HER THAT NIGHT! IT HAS BEEN EXCITING EVER SINCE.
May 7, 1994
Dear Mr. Snipe:
Although we haven’t met, I think we may have something in common — the love of an old house. I believe you met my elder sister, Marguerite Bassett Harrison, about a year ago when she was being shown through your house. The third of the girls in my family, I came to Indiana as a bride in 1950. My husband, Dr. J. Albert Robbins, was a professor of English and American Literature at Indiana University until his death in 1992. There were five of us Bassett girls, all old ladies now, of course. One, my sister Beulah, died in 1976, and until recently, that date - when I attended her funeral - was my last visit to Fort Valley.
However, in late April I returned for my 51st High School Reunion, and was in Fort Valley for six days. It was a rather momentous occasion for me, since not only was it the first reunion I had attended, but it was also the first time I had seen my husband’s grave, having sent his body down two years ago for burial in the Bassett family plot. I found many changes in the town and the surrounding countryside, with new roads and buildings, etc. My friend, Sara Middlebrooks, arranged with your manager, Roy Henson, for me to have a tour of the interior of the house which we used to call Pineola and which I understand you now call Barnby Manors. I was very grateful to Roy and Sara for this opportunity.
By now, you must be wondering why this garrulous old lady is writing to you and what is the purpose of this letter. Let me say first of all that I am sorry you were not in residence at the time of my visit, for I would surely have sought you out for a good long talk about Pineola’s past. I think there may be something there of interest to you as a Britisher. Before I explain, may I express my appreciation of the care you have given to the house. I know you have spent quite a bit on it, I liked your changes although I had no way of knowing which were yours and which were those of earlier residents since my sister sold the house. I do believe that you have saved the house from falling into disrepair and decay, especially by installing central air and heat. My mother would be pleased.
And it is because of my mother that I am writing to you. Nothing would please her more than to know that an Englishman now owns the house. You see, she came to Georgia from Paris, France, in 1919, having married a Georgia man, Captain Ralph Bassett. She had gone to boarding school in England as a young girl and then returned to teach French in an English school. Having been brought up very strictly in Paris, Henriette Bourdier felt that England represented freedom and fun, and she often spoke of playing tennis, punting on the Thames, and how happy she was in Leicester.
When World War II arrived, even before the United States entered the war, there were young Britishers in America, particularly in the South, Royal Air Force cadets, being trained mostly as fighter pilots. What is now the Macon Airport was then called Cochran Field, which was a basic training school. My mother was beside herself to know they were there, and immediately began organizing dances at the American Legion, and arranging for many families in Fort Valley to open their homes to the young men from across the seas. She called on church groups to take them home for Sunday dinner after church and many families “adopted” boys from each of the successive training classes.
As for Pineola, it was open house for the RAF for the remainder of the war. I really cannot tell you how many young men we entertained, but it was a period I will never forget. The house was well set up for hosting the cadets, as we could put them in the two-room wing added by my father in 1930. Here they had their own bath and complete privacy from the rest of the house. I believe this is the part of the house you presently use as your living—quarters.
I remember once when we had eight men, who came from three different bases, having all received graduation leave at the same time. I have a photo taken on the lawn at Pineola of my mother, two younger sisters and the eight. They were mostly there for a week, and what a time we had. My father left for a fishing trip in Florida, telling Guy Halifax, one of the older of the group, that he expected a full written report of what happened while he was gone, to be placed in his cigar box. When he checked the cigar box on his return, the cigars were gone, and Guy had left a note saying that too much had happened, he couldn’t possibly write it up. Of the eight, at least four died in the war. I am in correspondence with three of the survivors: Norman Bate, Ken Lewis, and Desmond Macey.
Over the years, we gradually lost touch with the “Bassett Boys” but in 1985 I was contacted by Dr. Gilbert Guinn, a History professor in Greenwood, SC, who was trying to write a voluminous history of the training of the RAF in the States, and in particular of those who were under the Arnold Scheme of training (named for the American general, “Hap” Arnold.) He asked for any and all information I might be able to supply him on the boys we had entertained, saying that the name of the Bassett family kept coming up again and again. Also that Norman Bate was asking for our addresses. Thereafter Norman and I began a correspondence which has endured to this day. Norman also began publication of the Arnold Register, which was an attempt, largely successful, to re—establish contact among those who had trained in the States. This Spring Norman was decorated by the queen for his efforts, as was another Bassett boy, Johnny Johnson (for his activities in working with underprivileged boys). Norman says that he made a solemn promise to Mama Bassett that he would try to keep the boys in touch with each other, and thinks he has fulfilled that promise.
A group of these RAF veterans has already come on tour to the States. They were given the keys to the city of Macon, Ga. and feted for several days in Albany, GA, home of one of the advanced bases. Unfortunately when they came to Fort Valley, they were unannounced and couldn’t even find the route to Pineola Farm. I am telling you this because Norman tells me that a small group is coming over again in September of this year. They are definitely going to be in Macon again, and I assume that at least certain ones would be very interested in seeing Fort Valley again, as well as the old house where they spent so many days. I have permission from Sara Middlebrooks to give Norman her name, address and tel. no., and would like your permission to do the same for you. Norman called me from Leicester the moment he got my letter telling him I was finally going back to Fort Valley again. Will you by any chance be in residence in Fort Valley in September? I still must write him to give an account of my trip.
I find it a very daunting project to try to explain in a letter about those war years, Henriette Bassett, the unabashed Anglophile, and how beloved your house is to your countrymen. Norman simply gasped when I told him the place was now owned by an Englishman. Somewhere I have copies of the photo of the eight on the lawn that day, but so far have not been able to put my hands on them. If I find them, will send you one.
So thank you, Sir, for taking such good care of our former home. If I can give you any more information, please let me know. The spirits of those eager young men must still sometimes find their way about the place. Not that they would haunt it, for they were happy times, as happy as possible in war time. So think of them as good spirits, wishing you well in your endeavors.
Sincerely yours,
Simone Bassett
F. Norman Bate
51 Henley Rd.
Leicester LE3 9RD England tel. 0533-519454
Desmond Macey
7 Whistlefield Cottages
Overstone Park
Northampton, Gt. Britain NN6-OAP tel. 0604-49-4645
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Bassett Family Association Database
