Charles Henry Bascom finished his earthly sojourn on September 17th, 2015, departing for Home with his Savior. Charles was born in Minot, North Dakota on March 31, 1931, the third of four sons of Lillian and K. F. Bascom, who came to Manhattan to practice medicine in l936. Charles attended Eugene Field Grade School, graduated from Manhattan High School, Kansas State University, and the University of Kansas Medical School.

Charles and Kay Conrad of Hiawatha, Kansas, met in college days, and were married Dec. 26, 1954, during Charles’ junior year of medical school. Three sons were born to them - Johnathan Bruce in Kansas City, and Timothy Paul and Nathanael Daniel during Charles’ six years practicing medicine in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Charles and Kay were deeply impacted by giving their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ in college days. During their early years of married life, they led Young Life clubs four years in Kansas City and then six years in St. Joseph, Missouri. In l964, the family left for Ethiopia, to work in SIM’s rural hospitals, first at Soddu and later at Leimo. In l970, due to Kay’s mother’s illness, the family returned to the United States and Dr. Bascom began family practice in Troy, Kansas. Returning to Ethiopia in l977, the Bascoms were caught in the Marxist Revolution’s confiscation of mission hospitals and schools, which resulted in Charles and Kay’s transfer to Sudan for a further two years. (Eventually Charles and Kay were able to return to Ethiopia for two more years after the Marxist government fell in the 1990s.)

Returning to the States in l979 to settle their sons in colleges and high school, they chose to live close to Charles’ mother Lillian, and his brother George’s family in the Manhattan area, making their home at Riley, then later near Keats, Kansas. Dr. Bascom worked at Ft. Riley’s Emergency Room, and later joined the staff of Kansas State’s Lafene Health Center. He took leave five summers of the l980s to return to work among Ethiopian refugees and famine communities in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan. He and Kay served in Romania the summer of l990 responding to the AIDs orphan tragedy there.

In Manhattan, Charles was regularly involved with Internationals through HIS (Helping International Students), their church’s international class, and Wellspring Fellowship. Together they published “The Messiah Mystery,” a textbook that grew out of Dr. Bascom’s Bible teaching at Grace Baptist Church in Manhattan, where Charles, served as an elder, and taught adult Bible and missions classes over the years. He was a founding member of Wellspring Fellowship, served on the original Adult Committee of Young Life in Manhattan, and enjoyed reunions with his 1949 MHS class, whose local members have met for lunch quarterly for many years. His simple joys came especially through family togetherness, connecting with his Kitten Creek neighbors, and appreciating nature – especially sunset rides. He was an inveterate reader of Scripture, theology, and history. Charles had a deep interest and care for those he encountered. Those who knew him well enjoyed his humor, creativity, spontaneity, and humble spirit.

Charles is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers John and George, and grandson Alexander. He is survived by his brother James Flavel Bascom and wife Barbara; his wife, Kay Conrad Bascom; three sons and wives, Johnathan and Betsy Page Bascom, Timothy and Cathleen Chittenden Bascom, and Nat and Marcia Sloan Bascom; and six grown grandchildren, Ethan, Claire, Conrad, Sebastian, Joanna, and Luke.

A celebration of life service will be at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, September 26, 2015 at Grace Baptist Church, 2901 Dickens, Manhattan, preceded by visitation 2:30 – 3:30, followed by a fellowship time with food. (Private family interment at Sunrise Cemetery.)

Memorial contributions may be made to the Young Life Manhattan, Helping International Students (HIS) and the Good Shepard Hospice House, Manhattan. Contributions may be left in care of Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.