More detail on this person: James Michael Basta, (LTC Ret.), 72, a Tampa resident for over 30
years, passed away on Tuesday, April 24.
James graduated from the University of Scranton in 1961 and entered the Army through the ROTC
program in which he was a distinguished military graduate and commissioned a Second Lieutenant. He
retired as a Lt. Colonel after 24 years of active military service, which included tours of duty in
Germany, Taiwan, and three years in Vietnam during the war where he flew both fixed wing and
helicopter aircraft. He was awarded numerous medals, including the Legion of Merit, Distinguished
Flying Cross, Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, and Army
Commendation Medal. James was a member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association of Florida
(VHPAF). He pulled their static display helicopter to events all over the state, including numerous
veterans' functions, parades, and schools educating the public and especially children on aviation
and the Vietnam War.
He is predeceased by his parents, Michael and Mary Gallia Basta; and a brother, Joseph, of Old
Forge, Pa. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, the former Marie Honcharik, his high school
sweetheart; and his four children, James, Robert, Michalene Yoder and Christine Rooth; nine
grandchildren, Briana, Aaron and Benjamin Basta; William, Jennifer and Rachel Yoder; and Joseph,
Madison and Michael Rooth.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at St. Timothy Catholic Church. The interment
will be at the Florida National Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. The family will receive friends on Thursday
evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Timothy Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made
to VHPAF at Veterans Memorial Park, 3602 US Hwy. 301 N., Tampa, FL 33619; or St. Timothy
Catholic Church Youth Building Fund, 17512 Lakeshore Rd., Lutz, FL 33558. Words of comfort may be
expressed at Loy lessFuneralHome. Loyless Funeral Home, 813-996-6610.
Published in Scranton Times on April 25, 2012
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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