Margaret Ann Basile

Margaret Ann Basile (nee Smith)

Age 74

Margaret passed away peacefully surrounded by her family as the sun rose on the morning of March 6, 2015. Margaret was born in the coal mining town of Alais, Kentucky on May 14,1940. Her family moved to Baltimore in the early 1940’s where she spent her childhood. She was a 1957 graduate of Western High School in Baltimore, Maryland. Margaret loved to spend time at the Jersey shore and in 1963 that is where she met her husband to be, George, the love of her life. They were married in 1964 and shared 22 years of marriage. During their marriage they resided in Darby, Pennsylvania and raised a family there. She had a 20 year career at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital where she worked in the Central Processing Unit. After retiring in December 1999, she moved to East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania where she and her brother in law, Robert Basile shared a home and over 50 years of friendship. Margaret was a wonderful mother, sweet grandmother, a Smith sister, a caring aunt and a loyal best friend. But most of all she was a caretaker to all, even up until her last days. You knew she loved you not only by her greeting cards which were always signed with numerous x’s and o’s, but because she would make you stay a while for a cup of hot tea. She would rub your back and play with your hair when you didn’t feel good. If you were lucky enough to have a sleepover at Mom Mom’s or Aunt Marge’s house, you would fall asleep to the sweet song “Mockingbird Hill” . Even if you were too young to hear them, she would regale all the kids (her own or the neighborhood kids) with her ghost stories -her most famous “the rocking chair”! You knew that if you didn’t get what you wanted for Christmas there was a good chance you would get it from her at the Basile Family Christmas Party. On your loneliest days you always knew someone was on your side or thinking of you. She showed her love in words, actions and had a way of making you feel special. Her most frequent expression of love was making sure you left her home feeling ten pounds heavier, with a little extra money or anything else she could convince you to take. She was always going the extra mile and sharing her softest side with others. She loved babysitting many of the family grandchildren, nieces and nephews or neighborhood children . Over the years there have been so many children that were lucky enough to have her as their babysitter. She was happiest while spending time with little children. She will be deeply missed but will survive in all of the things she has instilled in those she cared about and special memories, whether it was making an appearance at all occasions, taking trips to the shore for fun, sewing or crafting with you, baking with you , stealing Splenda , going to the casinos or simply making someone stay a little longer for a cup of tea. She loved to say “tea makes everything better”. She will live on in each of us through the wonderful memories she helped us create.

Margaret is predeceased by her husband (Joseph) George Basile who passed away in 1986. She leaves four children, Marla (Sam) Montalto of Nottingham, PA; Marcy (Dan) Mahoney of Quarryville, PA; Stephen (Karen) Basile of Glenolden, PA; Joseph Jr (Maria) of East Setauket, NY. Margaret was blessed with ten grandchildren, Alexandra, Madison Rose, Sam, Daniel, Grace, Garrett, George, Christina, Stephen and Christopher, along with her “adopted” granddaughter, Lorelai. Margaret spent her last 15 years with her brother in law, Robert Basile, sharing a home and a lifelong friendship.

She was one of eight children to Lavinia Milam Smith and the late John W. Smith. She is predeceased by her brothers, Glenn and Ronald Smith. She is survived by her sisters, Nelda(Stanley) Foos , Juanita(Mike) Bochniak, Loretta (Vernon) Kowalski, Shirley( Sheel)Smith, Hazel (Wolfgang) Hoelscher and many, many special nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Blessed Virgin Mary School Memorial Fund, 1101 Main Street, Darby, PA 19023.

Visitation Information

Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Time: 05:00 pm

End Time: 07:00 pm

D’anjolell-Barone Memorial Home

Address:

908 South Providence Rd. Wallingford, PA 19086  

610-874-7700

Service Information

Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Time: 07:00 pm

D’anjolell-Barone Memorial Home

Address:

908 South Providence Rd. Wallingford, PA 19086  

610-874-7700