Obituary for Basil George Leussis
Basil George Leussis, of Millis Massachusetts, died unexpectedly on January 1, 2023 at the age of 75 years old. His family is deeply saddened and shocked by his sudden death.
Basil is survived and missed by his loving wife Genie (née Bookas) of 50 years; and his children George (Melanie) and Mary. He is forever cherished and remembered by his two grandchildren, Emelia and William, and his siblings Dimitri Leussis and Nicholas Leussis and their families.
Basil was born on August 20, 1947 in Charleston, South Carolina. To the end he remained a “proud southern boy”, often chiding others for their manners or perceived lack thereof. Basil thoroughly embraced his Greek heritage and was a proud Greek Orthodox Christian. Basil had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, always reading multiple newspapers every day to stay up with current events, and especially intrigued by the science news. If you were lucky, you might have been blessed with a clipping or two!
Outside his family, Basil’s legacy was his military service and dedication to other veterans. A proud Army Ranger and LRRP in Vietnam, Basil never gave more than to his country, as both a POW in Vietnam and a purple heart recipient. Photographs he took during his active-duty service in Vietnam are held in a collection at Fort Campbell and have been featured in books about the Vietnam war. He was a ranger until the end, saluting every American flag and honoring his fellow veteran brothers at every opportunity. He dedicated thousands of hours of volunteer service at the VA hospitals in Boston. He was always ready with a joke, looking to bring a smile to those in need. He was loved by those who knew him throughout the VA system and beyond.
Basil was truly dedicated to his family and his “Basil stuff” will be missed by all. May his memory be eternal.
Viewing from 9-10 am at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Weston MA, followed immediately by the funeral and subsequent interment at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Millis, MA.
A special thank you to the many care givers at Eliot Center for Health and Rehabilitation in Natick for their dedication and wonderful care over the last year. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Veterans Inc through their website (https://www.veteransinc.org), or by clicking the link below.
Basil is survived and missed by his loving wife Genie (née Bookas) of 50 years; and his children George (Melanie) and Mary. He is forever cherished and remembered by his two grandchildren, Emelia and William, and his siblings Dimitri Leussis and Nicholas Leussis and their families.
Basil was born on August 20, 1947 in Charleston, South Carolina. To the end he remained a “proud southern boy”, often chiding others for their manners or perceived lack thereof. Basil thoroughly embraced his Greek heritage and was a proud Greek Orthodox Christian. Basil had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, always reading multiple newspapers every day to stay up with current events, and especially intrigued by the science news. If you were lucky, you might have been blessed with a clipping or two!
Outside his family, Basil’s legacy was his military service and dedication to other veterans. A proud Army Ranger and LRRP in Vietnam, Basil never gave more than to his country, as both a POW in Vietnam and a purple heart recipient. Photographs he took during his active-duty service in Vietnam are held in a collection at Fort Campbell and have been featured in books about the Vietnam war. He was a ranger until the end, saluting every American flag and honoring his fellow veteran brothers at every opportunity. He dedicated thousands of hours of volunteer service at the VA hospitals in Boston. He was always ready with a joke, looking to bring a smile to those in need. He was loved by those who knew him throughout the VA system and beyond.
Basil was truly dedicated to his family and his “Basil stuff” will be missed by all. May his memory be eternal.
Viewing from 9-10 am at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Weston MA, followed immediately by the funeral and subsequent interment at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Millis, MA.
A special thank you to the many care givers at Eliot Center for Health and Rehabilitation in Natick for their dedication and wonderful care over the last year. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Veterans Inc through their website (https://www.veteransinc.org), or by clicking the link below.