Louise Basey, a renowned concert pianist, transitioned from time to eternity on September 28, 2022, at the age of 97.
The daughter of the late Reverend Nathaniel and Hannah Foster was born on February 13, 1925, in Palo Pinto, Texas.
She and her family moved to Breckenridge, Texas, where she met and married the love of her life, Wayne Basey.
They had two sons, Wendell and Aaron. In 1942, they moved to Oakland, California, where she was active at Beth Eden Baptist Church.
Louise was the Director of the Senior and Youth Choirs until she resigned in 1963 due to illness.
After regaining her health, she became the music director at All Faith Community Church in Oakland.
She also directed the Oakland Community Choir. Her primary love, however, was playing the piano.
She started playing the piano at five, and by age eleven, she was the pianist for the senior choir at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Breckenridge, Texas.
She loved playing songs composed by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and other classical composers.
Louise furthered her education in music, winning a scholarship to study concert repertoire at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
She was the featured performer at various venues in the Bay Area. She was instrumental in
selecting performers for the San Francisco Festival of Arts, a project of the Arts Commission.
She accompanied exceptional vocalists, many having toured Europe and sang at the San Francisco Symphony.
She worked and retired from Alameda County Social Services as a supervisor.
After her retirement, Louise moved to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Besides playing music, she played bridge and, as she would tell her sons, went to her job playing the penny slot machines.
Aaron, her youngest son, moved to Las Vegas in the late 80s to live with her until his passing on September 16, 2022.
Louise leaves to cherish her memories, one son, Wendell and (Hazel), of Union City, California.
Five grandchildren, Catherine Riddick and (Steve), Las Vegas, Nevada; Karen Basey, Vallejo, California;
Deborah Kelly, Milpitas, California; Bryan Basey, Sacramento, California; Reginald Basey and (Tamisha), Union City, California;
seventeen great-grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.
Louise was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne Basey; her son, Aaron Basey; her grandson, Terrence Basey; her grandson Eric Basey, and her sister Velma Wade.
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