Pandora native Richard Basinger, died Sept. 4, 2020, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

He was born in Pandora, Ohio, on July 15, 1927.  He worked in his mother, Jeannette Sutter, and father, Ralph Basinger’s greenhouse and florist before he graduating from Pandora High School in 1946.

He joined the U.S. Army Air Force, which then became the U.S. Air Force, and served for over 30 years as a flight engineer in the U.S. Navy Air Reserve.  

Richard married Doris Whitehead in 1949. She proceeded him in death in 2001.  He is also preceded in death by his sister, Ruth; and brother, Gene. Richard married Janet Ferrell Light Hilty in 2005.  She also preceded him in death in January of 2020.

He is survived by his daughter, Deborah (Jack) Jennings; grandsons, Caleb and Quintin; sisters, Grace (Don) Modglin and Colletta Austin; stepchildren, Bruce (Marilyn) Light, Brian (Kellin) Light, Amy Light Wagner; 11 step-grandchildren, 2 step-great grandchildren, and 4 step-great great grandchildren.

Richard worked for the Civilian Aircraft in Tucson, Arizona; Convair Aircraft Co. in San Diego, California; and Lockheed Aircraft Co. in Ontario, California, as an aircraft inspector and flight test technician. He received his Aircraft and Power Plants License from Chaffee College. While working at TransWorld Airlines (TWA) at Los Angeles International Airport, he was assigned to Howard Hughes airplanes.

In 1963, he moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where he attended the University of New Mexico, studying engineering and worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratories. He did laser research and nuclear fuel applications for civilian use, laser technology and laser optics research and development handling and storage systems for Tritium Gas. He retired from LANL in 1990 and returned later as a laboratory consultant.

After his final retirement from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, he had his own tech business as Basinger Consulting, involving nuclear gases leak-detection and fabrication.

Arrangements are handled by Berardinelli Family Funeral Service, 1399 Luisa Street Santa Fe, New Mexico.