Norton Leigh Bassett, Jr.
APRIL 15, 1946 ~ SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 (AGE 73)
Leigh was born April 15, 1946 to Norton Leigh Bassett, Sr. and Louise Reiser Bassett. Raised in Danvers, IL, he attended University High School in Normal, IL and enlisted in the Army after graduation. In 1967, he married Sue Remsburg of Normal, IL. She survives.
Leigh trained at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA and spent nearly all of his Army career at Ft. Meade, MD. After leaving the Army, he worked for Motorola and then as a hardware and software consulting engineer until retiring in 2001.
Leigh's interests included ham radio, computers and electronics, photography, archaeology, antique radios, stamp collecting, languages, and Mayan hieroglyphic translations. He was fond of animals and rescued many homeless cats.
Leigh made a tremendous amount of contributions to the hobby of radio collecting and restoration. His great interest in early 1920s radios led him to make updated drawings of early Atwater Kent battery radios which has helped many radiomen restore and save these cherished radios for future generations to enjoy. A longtime member of the online "Antique Radio Forum", Leigh was always willing to help others solve restoration problems and share his knowledge freely. He helped the next generation of radiomen continue the important work of preserving these historically important creations from radio's beginnings. He insisted his work be shared freely with all who needed it, and it is in this spirit the Roaring Twenties Antique Radio Museum opens the Leigh Bassett wing with free access to all those radiomen who continue the work he so loved.
Leigh will be missed by the many he aided, but he will be forgotten by none. His work will live on here for many years to come.
