ELKINS — The Elkins Area Band Auxiliary has planned a community event to honor the memory of a local musician, teacher, mentor and friend. On Oct. 21, the group will sponsor the ‘Jack Basil Hometown Celebration.’

Officials of the Band Auxiliary said they feel both honored and obligated to pay special tribute to all Basil has given to the community and the students he taught throughout the years. They said Basil dedicated his life to sharing his love and talent for music and said he touched many lives with his enthusiasm and dedication to fine arts in the community.

The Oct. 21 event will start with a parade from the Randolph County Senior Center to Wimer Field. Parade entries include the Elkins High School and Elkins Middle School marching bands, the Lewis County High School band, a Hometown Band of local musicians and friends of Jack Basil and the West Virginia Highlanders of Davis & Elkins College. Also participating in the parade is the National Guard Color Guard and a float with Basil’s family members. Once the procession reaches Wimer Field, those gathered will offer a moment of silence in remembrance of Basil.

The combined bands will perform during half time of the game with a show featuring tunes from Basil’s repertoire. There will be a hospitality tent behind the band bleachers for those participating in the event.

T-shirts for the event will go on sale Oct. 3 and will be available at B&J’s Music on Third Street in Elkins. Orders will be taken for shirts during the EHS Football game on Oct. 6 and during the Mountain State Forest Festival TOB Band Competition Oct. 8 at Wimer Field.

Anyone interested in participating in the Hometown Band should contact Marissa Kniley at 304-704-7574 or Lucy Smith at 304-636-9244. The Hometown Band will have two rehearsals: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 11 and 6-8 p.m. Oct. 20. The group is in need of instruments and those who could lend an instrument should call Kniley or Smith.

Basil began his music career by directing the Chancel Choir at the First United Methodist Church in Elkins after graduating from West Virginia University in 1953. He taught in Randolph County at Homestead School as their band director before directing the Elkins Junior High School band for five years.

In 1960, he became director of the Elkins High School band, following Clark ‘Prof’ Siedhoff. It is said the band then was one of the most popular and well-traveled high school bands in West Virginia. Basil began instrumental teaching for all of the Elkins elementary schools and served as the choir director at Elkins High School and band director at Beverly K-12 School.

Basil retired as EHS Band Director in 1975 and accepted the position as Randolph County music supervisor. He started the Randolph County Solo and Ensemble Music Festival. In 1980, he became the Elkins Junior High School Band Director succeeding Howard Kittle. He retired in 1985.

He was the Randolph County Teacher of the Year in 1984 and was named West Virginia Bandmaster in 1984. He received the first Hero Hall of Fame Award in 2001 from the IOOF and in 2007, he was the IOOF Humanitarian of the Year.

In 2010, Basil was the Mountain State Forest Festival Grand Feature Parade Marshal after marching hundreds of miles with the famous West Virginia Highlanders of D&E College. He served as a volunteer for many years in local elementary school bands.

Basil enjoyed playing his trumpet in big band groups and he organized the Centennials, a barbershop quartet and the Glory Land Band. He enjoyed painting wildlife in his favorite West Virginia scenes and participated in many local art shows. Many of his paintings were featured in the West Virginia Division of National Resources Wildlife Calendars.

Basil passed away July 17.