Elizabeth Jean (Basinger) Rossbach

Elizabeth Jean Rossbach (nee: Basinger)

Age 93 of Butler Township, passed away quietly on Friday, May 12, 2023, at 4:05 pm. Born April 16, 1930, in Springfield, Ohio, she graduated Springfield High School class of 1948. She was an only child. Jean resided on Brantford Road for over 46 years. She married on December 27, 1951, just before her husband was drafted into the US Army 101st Airborne to serve in Korea and Japan. She was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy Basinger (Jacobs); father, Omer Elliott Basinger; her husband of 46 years, Bill Todd Rossbach; and a granddaughter, Holly Elizabeth Rossbach. Jean is survived by her three sons, twin brothers Jerry Miles Rossbach (Kim) of Vandalia and Kurt Todd Rossbach of Columbus and Todd Eric Rossbach of Butler Twp.; four grandchildren, Adam, Rachel, Sarah and Zachary; and many great grandchildren including a very special Nora Rose. She had many aunts and uncles, Zelpha, Pauline, Bob, Isabel, Merle and especially Leila Basinger, a teacher of 55 years that took her on vacations in the summers to Europe and many other places. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in the early 1950s and took journalism at the University of Dayton. She played violin with the Cincinnati Philharmonic. A special lifelong friendship with early childhood friend, college roommate and maid of honor philanthropist Rosalyn Bullock. “We’re very much like sisters,” Jean would always say. During the 1950s she was a staff writer for the Dayton Journal Herald. She also wrote a nationally published children’s book (Bernie the Beagle who liked German cooking) among other Publications and belonged to a Dayton writers’ group for many years. Jean had an extreme love of animals and frequently donated to many animal rights organizations. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 pm, Thursday, May 18, at Dayton Memorial Park Cemetery. She will be buried beside her husband, Bill. Pastor Rick Washburn will officiate. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Humane Society’s Wherever You may be.

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