Kathleen (Koch) “Cookie” Basinger, age 89, of Helena

Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, Kathleen M. “Cookie” Koch Basinger, was reunited with her loving family in Heaven on Monday, May 18, 2015, as a result of recent complications from congestive heart failure. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones, at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena, Montana. Although her heart may have weakened over the years, her strength, independent spirit, and complete devotion to her family and the Lord never waned. She maintained her feistiness and sense of humor up to the very end. These are all qualities that she has passed down to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and we are proud to be a part of her legacy.

Cookie was born at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena, Montana, on Wednesday, November 17, 1925. She was the much-loved only child of Frank Paul Koch, a pressman, and Janette Dykes (Campbell-Allan) Koch, an immigrant from Glasgow, Scotland. Cookie was a third-generation Helenan, and was raised in the house that her paternal grandparents, Austrian and German immigrants Franz and Meta Koch, had bought and added on to in the mid-1880s. The house remains in the family to this day.

Cookie attended both Emerson School and Central School, and was fortunate enough to have had Mae Butler for a teacher. At the age of nine, Cookie experienced the 1935 earthquakes in Helena and recalled that the fronts of many of the houses fell off, revealing what looked to her like large dollhouses with all of the furnishings inside. She went on to attend Helena Junior High School and Helena High School, ultimately graduating with the Class of 1943.

Cookie always said that she wanted to become a nurse, but she abandoned that plan when she was hired as a telephone operator for Mountain Bell, or “Ma Bell,” as it was fondly referred to. She was a loyal employee for twenty-seven years, gradually working her way up in the company. Decades later, she could still remember many of the original numbers to private homes and local businesses that she would “plug into” after requesting “number please.”

During World War II, Cookie became acquainted with Thomas Franklin Basinger, a handsome sailor from Connellsville, Pennsylvania. Tom served on the same ship as Cookie’s cousin, Bill Knauck, and when Bill was injured in an accident aboard the ship, Tom helped him write letters to Cookie. Tom and Cookie met once in California when Tom was on leave from the Navy. The second time they saw each other, they got married. Tom and Cookie celebrated their wedding ceremony in the parsonage of the original First Lutheran Church on Rodney Street on November 17, 1945, which just so happened to be Cookie’s twentieth birthday. They built their home directly across the street from Cookie’s childhood home on State Street.

Tom and Cookie were blessed with three children: Kathleen Annette was born in 1954, Linda Louise was adopted at age five in 1960, and Thomas Paul was born in 1957. It was also around this time that Tom and Cookie began adding a variety of cats and dogs to their family – a collection that would gradually expand throughout the years. Cookie always said that when she was a little girl, she wanted to become a nun and have a lot of cats. Although the former may have never transpired, the latter most certainly did! Tom and Cookie were well-known for their love of animals, and never refused to care and provide food and shelter for a stray.

Cookie was a faithful volunteer for the Montana Talking Book Library, cleaning cassette players used by people with visual impairments. She also volunteered for First Lutheran Church by sending thank you cards to people who had made memorial donations for loved ones.

Tom and Cookie celebrated sixty-one years of marriage in 2006. Sadly, Tom passed away soon afterwards on December 2^nd. Cookie remained in her own home, independent as ever, until her passing. She was faithfully watched over and cared for by her son, Tom, and his wife, Kristin, who currently reside directly across the street in Cookie’s childhood home. Cookie enjoyed writing letters to her daughter, Kathleen, in Georgia, and having lunch and chatting with her daughter, Linda, of Helena. Cookie was dearly loved by her four grandchildren, and was a proud great-grandmother to six great-grandchildren (with the seventh on the way!). We will all miss our dear Cookie terribly, but we are so very thankful to have had her in our lives for so many wonderful years, and to have so many beautiful memories of her. We love you, Grandma. You are finally home.

Cookie was preceded in death by her loving husband, her parents, her paternal grandparents, Franz and Meta (Hoerold) Koch, her maternal grandparents, James and Elizabeth (Clark-Campbell) Allan, and five aunts and two uncles.

She is survived by her two daughters, Kathleen Bartman and Linda (John) Stangland, son, Thomas (Kristin) Basinger, four grandchildren, Valerie (Casey) Balcerzak, Jeremy (Tracy) Wareham, Barry Wareham, and Heather (Brian) Basinger, and six (soon to be seven) great-grandchildren, Alexander Balcerzak, Jacob Balcerzak, Kylie Balcerzak, Kinden Wareham, Branson Wareham, and Jayzik Wareham.

A memorial service will be held for Cookie at First Lutheran Church on Thursday, May 21^st, at 1:30pm, followed by a reception at the church. We encourage donations be made in Cookie’s name to First Lutheran Church, 2231 E. Broadway St., Helena, MT 59601, the Montana Talking Book Library, P.O. Box 201800, Helena, MT 59620, and the Lewis and Clark Humane Society, P.O. Box 4455, Helena, MT 59604. To offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Kathleen please visit below.

Service Schedule

Visitation

3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday May 20, 2015

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N. Montana Avenue

Helena, Montana 59602

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Funeral Service

1:30 p.m.

Thursday May 21, 2015

First Lutheran Church

2231 East Broadway Street

Helena, Montana 59601

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Reception

Immediately following the funeral service

Thursday May 21, 2015

Social Center of First Lutheran Church

2231 East Broadway Street

Helena, Montana 59601

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