Charles Basil Dearborn Jr.

DEARBORN - Basil of Old Tappan, NJ and Lake Placid, NY died January 20, 2015. He was born Charles Basil Dearborn Jr on December 5, 1917 in New York, NY, the son of Charles Basil Dearborn Sr and Elizabeth A.(Hitzel) Dearborn, who lived in Dumont, NJ. Basil attended Lincoln Elementary School and Dumont High School. He completed his education at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ where he received a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1939 and a Master of Science Degree in Metallurgy in 1945. While at Stevens, he was elected into the Gear and Triangle Honorary Society. Basil was a three-sport athlete who earned eight varsity letters, and in 2005 was inducted into the Stevens Athletic Hall of Fame for his outstanding abilities during his college years. Following Basil’s graduation from college in 1939, he was employed in the Engineering Department of Walworth Company, manufacturers of valves and fittings, and in 1946 moved on to Sherman and Company, manufacturers of precious metal products, as the plant manager in Flushing, NY. In 1947, Basil became self employed and entered the construction field of home building. He did tract developments, and in later years specialized in custom homes. As the President of Dearborn Construction Company he built homes throughout Bergen County. In the early 1960's Basil went back to school to acquire a real estate sales license and insurance broker's license. On July 10, 1943 Basil married his high school sweetheart, Dagmar Svahn, in Emanuel Lutheran Church, Ridgefield Park, NJ. She predeceased him in 2008. He is survived by his children and grandchildren: Charles (Chuck) Basil Dearborn, III and Kathleen Mitchell of Norwood, NJ, Kristin Pamela Dearborn and Jon R. Carter of Larkspur, CO, and Cheryll Lynne Dearborn and Mark Anderson of Northvale, NJ. He was the loving grandfather of Kiera Sun-Hee Dearborn and Kristina Ok-Hee (Dearborn) Harshman, Karin Nicole Carter and Lydia Désirée Anderson-Dearborn, and the great grandfather of Kristina's sons Zachary and Carter. Basil had many hobbies. He enjoyed woodworking, collecting and refinishing antiques, fly fishing, backpacking, hiking, cross country skiing, stamp collecting, and photography. In his earlier years, Basil participated in a variety of sports: ice hockey with the Dumont Emeralds 1934-35, baseball with a Veterans of Foreign Wars team beginning in 1934 (state champions 1935), and Varsity baseball at Dumont High School 1935. While at Stevens he played Varsity baseball 1936-39 (1939 team Captain), Junior Varsity basketball 1936-37, Varsity basketball 1938-39 (1939 team Captain), Junior Varsity soccer 1937, and Varsity soccer 1938-39. He played Bergen County Semi-Pro baseball 1936-50, and played soccer with the German American Soccer League 1940-50 (1942 state champions). Basil returned to Stevens in October 1959 to play with the alumni soccer team, winning against the current team. Basil was a member of the Adirondack Mountain Club, the Adirondack 46’ers, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Catskill 3500 Club, and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. He served as a Senior Girl Scout leader from 1967-74. Basil was a charter member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Old Tappan, NJ where he served as Chairman of the Building Committee, Trustee, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and Co-Chairman of the Development Committee. The church honored him in 2013 with “Basil Dearborn Day”, as a tribute to his many years of service and support. Basil joined the Vasa Order of America, Lodge Örn #284 in 1976, and held many offices including Chairman from 1980-84 and 2000-15. At the NJ District Lodge level, Basil worked his way up to District Master for the 1986-87 term, and served as editor of the state level newspaper in 1987. His time and talents were well applied to a variety of projects and activities within the District.

Friends may call at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road , Westwood, NJ during visiting hours: Saturday January 24 1-5PM, Sunday January 25 2-4PM and 7-9PM. The funeral service will be Monday January 26 at 11AM at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 106 Orangeburgh Road, Old Tappan, NJ. Interment will be at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus, NJ. Flowers are welcome, or in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church or The Adirondack Council, PO Box D-2, 103 Hand Ave. – Suite 3, Elizabethtown, NY 12932 (www.adirondackcouncil.org).