Basil and his wife Lucille moved into their home behind the Gene Kayal family, our next door neighbors, in the late 1950's before having children. They were great neighbors and Basil occasionally hired me to mow their grass. Over the years they added sons Steve, Ken, Basil Jr. and daughter Sharon. Basil was also Gene Kayal's cousin.

Basil and his family moved to Miami in 1945 and Basil went to Miami Edison until 1947 when he transferred to Lindsey Hopkins where he graduated in 1948. His parents owned and operated Charlies Grocery, a business established in the 1930's, at the southwest corner of NW 12th Avenue and 29th Street from 1945 until the early 1960's when the widening of 12th Avenue wiped out part of the building and they sold out. Basil started working for FP&L downtown in the Ingraham Building in 1957 and at their Coral Gables office before retiring in 1988. Basil Jr. is now an executive with the Air Transport Association in Washington, DC.

In 2002, Basil and Lucille moved to Franklin, TN, where my mother-in-law lives. I visited Basil on April 14, 2008 while in Franklin for the air show at Smyrna and again in August 2008. Thanks to Donna Mehalko for telling me where they now lived; otherwise I never would have known and never had the opportunity to visit with them twice.

Sadly, Basil passed away on December 18, 2008 in Franklin, Tennessee after battling cancer. Our heartfelt sympathies to Lucille and his children. Basil was "good people" and I have fond memories of him from long ago and twice again in 2008. I'll never forget that warm smile he gave me when I went to see him at his part-time job in the seafood section of Publix in Franklin. He wasn't even feeling good that day and he had no idea who I was because I pretended to be a customer looking for some Pompano, a delicious fish found in Florida waters. Yet I received a gracious warm smile and greeting from him as I approached. He said he had not seen any Pompano being sold by Publix for quite some time and I mentioned that I used to eat it in Florida. He mentioned that he was from Florida, and I said "Oh yeah?" and he said "Yeah" and I said something like "You look like a Hialeah guy!" He looked at me, trying to remember who I was, and he said "Do I know you?" I said "No, I'm afraid not." Then I said "Did you live at 5660 W. 9th Court?" and that freaked him out. I then told him who I was and that I grew up behind him and over one house and he really enjoyed talking about the good old days in Hialeah. We made arrangements to meet again in August because we were flying back home the next morning. In early August I visited him and Lucille at their home in Franklin for a great couple of hours conversation.

Farewell and Godspeed Basil! It was an honor to know you sir. Basil's Guestbook is located at: < http://www.legacy.com/herald/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=121628179