VIRGINIA HINES BASLER

Many are mourning the passing of Virginia Hines Basler on April 14, 2024. Just shy of her 101st birthday, Virginia was born on May 27, 1923, in Alpena, to George and Eva (Dent) Hines. She had two siblings, an older sister, Jean Hines O’Neill, and a younger brother, James Arden Hines.

Virginia never graduated from high school, taking a job at the Alpena Pup Tent Company where she made “button holes” for pole supports. Not long after that employment, Virginia and her best friend moved to Ypsilanti to work at the famous Willow Run B-24 Bomber Plant to “make more money” than they had earned while working on tents! At Willow Run, she drilled holes for the rivets and always considered herself to be the “best hole maker in the world,” certainly based on both of those unique occupations. Virginia was very proud of being a Rosie the Riveter, doing her part to help end World War II with her service on the Home Front.

In April of 1945, she enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Women’s Reserve, known as the SPARS because she was “21, eligible, and liked those classy uniforms!” Her SPARS uniform can be seen at the Ypsilanti Historical Museum. Virginia was trained as a baker and worked as a ship’s cook, earning the rank of first class, three stripes. (The Veterans History Project interview of Virginia, archived at the US Library of Congress, can be viewed at: Veterans History Project Collection, Yankee Air Museum/Library of Congress and searching for #117785.)

She returned to Ypsilanti after her war service and worked at Kaiser-Frazer. She married Leonard Basler on April 12, 1952. He had served our country as a Marine, stationed in the Aleutian Islands and earned a Purple Heart for his wounds. He preceded her in death in 1977. They had three children, Arden Marian, Charles Leonard and Helen Marie.

A long time resident of Ypsilanti, Virginia was employed by the Ypsilanti Public Schools as a cook. In retirement, she enthusiastically volunteered with the Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels for 30 years. That organization honored her years of volunteerism by naming their van after her. Virginia was very active with the Thrift Shop, the Senior Citizens Center, and was a dedicated member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church. As an energetic member of the American Rosie the Riveter Association (ARRA), Virginia was a highly sought-after “Original Rosie.” She participated in two Honor Flights to the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC and, in 2022, she represented all military women of the “Greatest Generation” as a special guest at the National Memorial Day Concert in DC. Virginia was proud of her WWII Victory Medal and is a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal for her service as a Rosie. Unfortunately, declining health made it impossible for her to travel to DC for the recent award ceremony.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Eva Hines; her husband, Leonard Basler; and her daughter, Helen Basler.

Virginia is survived by her children, Arden Basler and Charles Basler; her granddaughter, Kami Basler (Samuel Stanley); her brother, James (Janet) Hines; her sister-in-law, Mildred Basler; and numerous loving nieces and nephews.

Memorial Gathering will take place on Friday, May 24, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 201 N. River Street, Ypsilanti, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. or between 5 and 8 pm. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, May 25, at 11 a.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels, Senior Citizens Center, Emmanuel Lutheran Church or the American Rosie the Riveter Association.