Obituaries

Basil R. Northam

Basil R. Northam

Basil R. Northam of Southold peacefully moved onto his next ramble on Dec. 27, 2017, two months shy of his 90th birthday.

Basil is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Johanna, and sons, Basil Jr., Bryan and Bruce; granddaughters, Audrey and Bella; and great-granddaughter, Isabella.

The former director of special education at Seaford High School, Basil was also an Adirondack 46er (scaled its 46 high peaks as a part-time resident), a U.S. military paratrooper who served in MacArthur’s Occupation of Japan, a naturalist, lecturer, warrior for environmental justice, and fighter for the underdog,

Basil was an Emerson College graduate and received master’s degrees from Adelphi and Hofstra universities.

Along with trekking coast-to-coast across Britain four times, one of Basil’s proudest moments was adorning Long Island’s highest point, Jayne’s Hill, with a tribute (plaque) to Walt Whitman, who also cherished the hilltop.

Basil loved life — a celebration of it will take place this spring.

This is a paid notice.