Jack Stanley Baswell

**UPDATED SERVICE DETAILS** Visitation: Saturday, January 20, 2024, 12-2pm Service: Saturday, January 20, 2024, 2pm Jack Stanley Baswell was born June 27, 1944, in Gadsden, Alabama. He lost his mom at age two. He was raised by his father and precious grandmother. He went to Gadsden City schools then joined the Navy for a couple of years. After coming home, he hung out with the guys in pool rooms around town. One day his daddy told him to get out of those pool rooms and make something of himself. He handed him a newspaper with an ad saying the city of Atlanta was hiring firefighters. He sent him right over there. He was twenty years old. This began a thirty-year experience with the Atlanta Fire Department. He loved every minute of it. He married his former wife Ingrid, and together they had a son Tim. In 1993, Jack was making weekend visits to the Regional Hospital in Gadsden because his dad was a frequent patient. There he met Maurine Lowrey, a newly widowed nurse. It was love at first sight. They were married almost thirty years. Jack had many interests. He loved fishing and baseball. Baseball was something he always played as a young man. He became an umpire for SEC colleges as a part-time job while still working as a fireman. In 1979, major league baseball umpires went on strike and at the time the strike was settled they couldn’t get back on the job in time to call the games immediately, so the league used SEC umpires. The Braves needed umpires for a game, so Jack was asked to be the umpire behind the plate at a regular televised game. This was Jack’s claim to fame. He was active in Geraldine High Baseball as a coach for his grandson Josh Smith’s team for one year and coached the team to the playoffs. Jack became a Mason. He never did anything that he wouldn’t commit his whole self to. He became a district lecturer in North Alabama and after moving to the beach, he was district lecturer in South Alabama. Jack never met a stranger and was a generous friend to all. He enjoyed spending time with his church friends and his family. Jack is survived by Wife, Maurine Turk Lowrey Baswell; Son, Tim Baswell (Mandy); grandchildren, Zion Baswell, Isaiah Baswell, Gabriel Baswell, Eligah Baswell, Autumn Grace Baswell; Stepchildren, Lori Lowrey Smith, Jimmy Dave Lowrey, Leah Lowrey Zuga, Leslie Lowrey Davis, Sally Lowrey; grandchildren, Josh Smith, Shellie Smith Pryor (Michael), Ricky Ocasio, Hattie Jane Stringfellow, Billie Lucille Stringfellow, Prue Davis, Great grandchildren, Cade Boman, Kailyn Boman, Sam Frazier, Harley Faith Smith The family has requested in lieu of flowers donations be made to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

Jack Stanley Baswell

June 27, 1944 - January 12, 2024