LTC Richard Haley Bassett (Ret)

LTC Richard Haley Bassett (Ret.), 78, passed away on February 6, 2026, in Fairfax, Virginia, surrounded by his wife and two daughters. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Catherine Clodagh Dempsey Bassett; daughters Catherine (Robert Andrew Holden Jr) and Sarah (Michael Barretta); and seven grandchildren: Joseph, Isabella, Daniel, Grayson, Lucilia, Benjamin, and Emilia. Richard is also survived by his sister, Sarah (Sally) Walker. Richard is preceded in death by his parents Henry Naumann and Sarah Fulton Bassett, and his brother David. Richard was born on September 13, 1947, in Washington, DC, before moving to Chatham, New Jersey, as a child. He graduated from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, with a degree in history, and later earned a Master of Science in human resource management from Pepperdine University. He was commissioned as an officer in the US Army in 1969. Richard met his Irish-born wife, Clodagh, in Stuttgart, Germany, on his first overseas tour. When the Army sent Richard to South Korea on a one-year unaccompanied assignment shortly after they were married, Clodagh followed within months, and they were nearly inseparable afterwards. Over the course of his 22-year military intelligence career, Richard served several tours in Germany and graduated top of his class from the Military Intelligence Officers Advanced Course at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, followed by the National Cryptologic School, and with top honors from US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He received numerous awards including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. He medically retired in October 1991, following his diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) several years earlier. Richard was passionate about genealogy. While stationed in Europe, he conducted field research for a family history book he co-authored with his father, scouring church records and becoming proficient at transcribing old German script. After retirement he volunteered at the Family History Center in Annandale, Virginia, assisting patrons with their genealogical research. MS is a cruel disease, and while its progress was slow over decades, it eventually deprived Richard of his ability to walk and made it difficult to read, which was particularly painful for a man who loved perusing the newspaper and playing Suduko. He persevered and took joy from boisterous family gatherings and spending time with many life-long friends made across the course of his career. A memorial service will be held on March 14, 2026, at 2pm at Fairfax Presbyterian Church. A funeral at Arlington National Cemetery will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

LTC Richard Haley Bassett (Ret)

September 13, 1947 - February 6, 2026