May 5, 1938 - Aug. 5, 2021 Lee Carlton Basnar, 83, died on Aug. 5, 2021, in Tucson, Arizona, of cardiopulmonary arrest. Born in East Burke, Vermont, he attended school in East Burke and Lyndonville. In 1956, he and his high school classmate and sweetheart, Joan Chandler, graduated from Lyndon Institute. The two married that summer, and Lee joined the U.S. Army Reserve. He worked as a carpenter in his father's construction business until entering active duty as an infantryman in 1961. Lee rose through the Army enlisted ranks to sergeant-first-class. He attended the Defense Language Institute to learn the Vietnamese language, and after graduating with honors he served as an advisor to South Vietnam's 22nd Infantry Division in 1967-68, receiving the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, and several other awards. He then received a direct commission in the infantry and returned to Vietnam in 1970 as a captain, commanding C Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry, 198th Infantry Brigade. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for valor, the Bronze Star for valor, and several other commendations. While stationed in France and Germany, Lee learned to speak the local languages. He later attended Alaska Pacific University, graduating with a BA in sociology, and he was promoted to the rank of major. After retiring from the Army in Alaska in 1981, he and Joan built a cabin in the Alaska wilderness. They ran a successful woodcraft business from their workshop, and Lee became a bush pilot and an accomplished writer and photographer whose articles appeared in Alaska Magazine and other publications. He served as a representative to the US Army Alaska Retiree Council and was vice-chairman of the Denali National Park Subsistence Advisory Commission. The US Interior Secretary appointed him to the first Alaska Federal Subsistence Advisory Council, where he served as vice-chairman. The Basnars moved from Alaska to Sierra Vista, Arizona, in 1996. Lee soon became chairman of the Sierra Vista Environmental Affairs Commission. Appointed to the Cochise County Planning & Zoning Commission, he served as vice-chairman and chairman. He was also a director of the Arizona Heritage Alliance. He was a life member of the Military Officers of America Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other military-affiliated organizations. Lee wrote two books that received excellent reviews. Vietnam Vignettes: Tales of an Infantryman describes the daily life of a soldier in southeast Asia. Northern Lights & Shadows: Sixteen Years in the Alaska Bush, recounts the Basnars' lives in a beautiful, remote, and rugged setting that few get to experience. Lee also wrote Op/Ed columns for the Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review for nearly eight years. He truly appreciated his family, who gave him a solid foundation for his life of service and adventure. He is survived by his daughter, Lorraine Basnar Elder; nephew, Russell Winslow; and niece, Diane Winslow Gramatikas. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joan (Chandler) Basnar; parents, Carlton and Velma (Roberts) Basnar; and sister, Pauline (Basnar) Winslow. He strongly supported education and preservation of the natural world. Friends and family may make donations in his memory to Lyndon Institute (lyndoninstitute.org), East Burke Community Library (burkevermont.org/library-east-burke.php), or the Natural Resources Defense Council (nrdc.org). At Lee's request, no memorial service will be held. He and Joan will be interred in the Basnar family plot at Woodmont Cemetery in East Burke.