Connie (Peterson) Basel, age 57 of Las Cruces, New Mexico and Redondo Beach, California, formerly of Forest Lake, Minnesota, died peacefully on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 following a one and a half year battle with cancer.
Connie was a graduate of Forest Lake High School, class of 1975. She attended the University of Minnesota and was a member of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. Before becoming ill, she was the laboratory manager for Bio-Diagnostic Laboratory in Torrance, California.
Connie is preceded in death by her parents, Franklin and Marion Peterson, and her brother Wayne Peterson.
She is survived by her husband, Gary Basel; siblings, Winston (Wink) Peterson, Dennis and Victoria Peterson, Bruce and Debra Peterson, and Timothy Peterson.
Connie possessed an amazing will to survive, and had endured four brain surgeries at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, eight years ago. Earlier in life, she was an accomplished kick boxer, and competed in several tournaments. She was also an avid motorcycle and ATV rider, more recently enjoying rides in the New Mexico desert. She was a lover of animals, and spent her last year in her beloved New Mexico home, treasuring her western style life with her two horses, two dogs and four cats.
Funeral Services will be held 12:00 p.m., Thursday, March 20, 2014 at Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment at Scandinavian Cemetery, Forest Lake. A reception will follow at Faith Lutheran Church, 886 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake. Online condolences may be made at www.mattson funeralhome.com. Cards and memorials may be directed to Mattson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 343 N. Shore Drive, Forest Lake, MN 55025.