In Memoriam: Brother Christopher Bassen, FSC, '65

07/07/06

Brother Christopher Bassen, FSC, '65, who dedicated many years to educating inner-city youth, passed away on July 3, 2006 after a long battle with cancer. He was 63.

Brother Christopher was a founder of the Lasallian Educational Opportunities (LEO) Center in Oakland and served as director of the tutoring and learning center since 1994.

Born in Chicago, Brother Christopher entered the novitiate in 1960 and then attended Saint Mary's College, where he graduated in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. In 1974, he earned a master's degree in mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley.

His career as a teacher and administrator included leadership positions at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, Saint Mary's College High School in Berkeley and La Salle High School in Pasadena.

As an expert on the life and spirituality of Saint John Baptist de la Salle, founder of the Christian Brothers, Brother Christopher spent summers teaching at the Buttimer Institute at Saint Mary's College, a program that educates teachers and school administrators.

Brother Christopher is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Ellen and Jim Hill; his niece and her husband, Jeanellen and Jody Sumruld; and his grand niece, Autumn Sumruld.

A Funeral Mass for Brother Christopher will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on July 15, 2006, at St. Columba's Church, 6401 San Pablo Avenue (at 64th Street), in Oakland. A reception will follow Mass in St. Columba's parish hall. Interment will be at 4:30 p.m. at Mont La Salle Cemetery, 4401 Redwood Road, in Napa. A reception will follow the burial in the Novitiate courtyard.

Please send notes and testimonials to District Archives, Mont La Salle, 4405 Redwood Road, Napa, CA 94558, by August 15, 2006.

--Debra Holtz
Office of College Communications