Ralph Wayne Bassler

Ralph Wayne Bassler, age 89, of Oregon, Ohio passed away on Saturday, February 22, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Bucyrus, Ohio on September 1, 1935, to Harold and Udella (Goodwin) Bassler.

Ralph graduated from Macomber Vocational School in 1953 and became an auto mechanic. He later attended the University of Toledo and received his Bachelor's in Education. Ralph was a small business owner and school teacher at Penta County Vocation High School here he taught Auto Mechanics. After Ralph retired, he returned to work at the Navarre Avenue Kroger’s Service Plaza. He worked there for 22 more years and was 85 when he left.

Ralph met Wanda, the love of his life, at the neighborhood corner service station where he was an attendant. They married on September 8, 1956, and went on to have a beautiful family of 3 children, Pam, Mike, and Randy, and 5 grandchildren Jessica, Joselyn, Zachary, Tyler, and Jordan.

Ralph’s business adventures began at the same location where he met Wanda, he leased the building and opened his first business, a Pure Oil Service Station at the corner of Oak and Oakdale. He would later open service stations in Rossford and Perrysburg, it was at these service stations he gave his children, family members, and young kids from the neighborhood their first employment opportunity. Ralph also owned Buck Road Plaza, a gas station and deli known for Wanda’s chili dogs.

Ralph served as president of the Northwestern Ohio Gasoline Dealers Association for two years, he was a steward with the Zenobia Shriners for many years and was a member of the Cooley Canal Yacht Club. 

Ralph was a good, fun-loving guy, a great father, and a very special Pa-Po. He lived a wonderful, full life. In his younger years, he loved motorcycles, played baseball, boxed in the Golden Gloves, and raced stock cars for Paddock Bar. He loved hunting, fishing, sailing, and golfing. Ralph was an Ohio State Buckeye fan, a lifelong Detroit Lions fan, and most recently loved watching his grandson play for the ONU Polar Bears. Ralph loved to travel. He took his family on many fun-filled vacations. He and Wanda loved to go on cruises, travel the Atlantic coast, visit the countryside, and visit the state parks. His last several winters were spent in Cherry Grove, South Carolina making beautiful memories, hanging out with his family, combing the beach, and shark tooth hunting. 

Ralph was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, he will be forever missed. Ralph leaves behind his children Pam (Bob) Baldwin, Mike Bassler, and Randy Bassler; his grandchildren Jessica Sroga, Joselyn Bassler, Zachary Baldwin, Tyler Baldwin, and Jordan Bassler; sisters-in-law JoAnn Hayes, Mary Lou Furrer, Berneice Cardonick, and many special nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Wanda (Erwin) Bassler, his brother Harold Bassler, his sister Evelyn Cooper, sisters-in-law Opal Price Galvin, Catherine Grater, and Irene Bassler brothers-in-law Wayne Price, Dave Grater, Roy Hayes, Richard Furrer, Eugene Erwin, Al Cardonick, and George Cooper and many, many special friends.