CORNISH/HIRAM- Basil Morton Day, 83, of Cornish/Hiram, passed away on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, in Portland, Maine. He had fought many health battles in the past year.
Basil was born in Cornish, on January 16, 1939, to the late Carl M. Day and Evelyn C. (Gray) Day. He attended local schools and graduated from Cornish High School in 1957. Basil worked in many areas of construction most of his life. He ultimately operated his own successful excavation business. He spent countless winters plowing roads in the town of Hiram with Harold Bucknell, often finishing off with a batch of warm muffins that Norine had whipped up or with coffee at his local news source, Dall's Drive-In Diner. He married the late June Day in 1960 and raised four daughters: Denise Day of Porter, Kelly Hartford and husband Steve of Cornish, Becky Willard of Standish, and Stacey Richard of Kezar Falls.
Basil enjoyed overhauling engines and building his own tractors with his late father-in-law, Rupert Haley. His family always loved his fishing trips, disguised as camping trips, to the Rangeley area. On summer weekends, he got a big kick out of mackerel fishing out of Pine Point. In winter, all-day snowmobile rides were one of his favorite activities. Dad will be remembered for the long hours his girls rode with him while he worked to support his family. His work ethic was instilled in all of us. In addition to his trusty partner, his dog Smokey, one of the girls was often in the passenger seat of his logging truck, snowplow, or dump truck, keeping him company and passing many hours learning jokes, unique sayings, and a few off color songs. Enough of them that Mom was sure they went to Sunday School every week. The joy he got showed on his face when he would allow one of them to sit on his lap while riding in one of those big trucks, seeing the thrill of blowing the horn at anything they wanted, and allowing them to be convinced THEY were the one driving!
In 1985 Basil married Ginny Lennox Day, expanding his family. They had a son Christopher, married to Sasha, and a son Noah. Chris learned from the best how to rebuild, patch up, and recycle tractors, balers, and rakes that were at least twice his age. Almost every day in summer one could find Basil and Chris working in a hayfield (haying ? of the time and repairing ? of the time) with Noah and Chris’s five children “helping". As unproductive as it was some days, they loved the time together.
As young men Basil and Jack Barboza of Assonet, Massachusetts formed an unbreakable friendship. They raised beef cattle at River View Farm, Jack coming up when he could escape the hassles of his busy life. They have remained the best of friends, leaning even more so on each other and comparing notes on getting older. River View Farm quietly shifted from a beef farm to a “Barnyard Petting Zoo” as Basil often called it with the addition of horses, donkeys, a mule, an alpaca, pigs, goats, and a strange assortment of birds. He often joked of the menagerie he somehow acquired. Basil spent spare time going to horse and donkey shows, beef 4-H shows and scrambles, pig calling and pig scrambles, and local fairs.
Basil was known to many as “Bumpa” and he called everyone under 30 “Brat” as he would mix up names otherwise. He had a unique sense of humor that caught many off guard until they got to know him. It took doctors a long time to realize that a response to, “How are you today?” of “So as to be draggin’ ‘round.” was a good thing (Cornish lingo). Through his tough exterior could be seen that heart of gold. He could not express his feelings in words well but his actions showed how much he thought of and how proud he was of his whole family.
Basil is predeceased by his siblings Philip, Dwight, Ester MacDonald and Reta Tozier. He is survived by his sister Geneva Jordan of Cornish, who could always be counted on to provide him with lively banter and homemade goodies. He will be sadly missed by his wife, sister, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and wonderful friends. His passing has left a huge void in this community.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Online condolence messages can be submitted at www.mainefuneral.com through Poitras, Neal and York Funeral Home, 71 Maple Street, Cornish.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sacopee Rescue Unit, PO BOX 367, Parsonsfield, Maine 04047.