Anise Baskette

Anise “Ann” Lee Barton Baskette departed this life on January 8, 2022 after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease.  She was born May 18, 1940 in South Bend, Indiana, to Carl Barton and Virginia Morris. She was a member of the famous Central High class of 1957-1958. As a young woman she had a love for music, which began when she was accepted into the Acapella Choir at Central. She tried out for singing contests at a television station in Pine Bluff, which is known today as Channel Seven. After graduation from Central, she attended the University of Arkansas, both in Fayetteville and in Little Rock. She was selected as a UALR beauty queen and was a member of Phi Kappa Alpha Sorority.

On March 4, 1960, she married Bill A. Baskette, and they lived in Little Rock their entire married life. Ann and Bill were blessed with three children, Beverly, Brad and Bart. During this time she was employed by Union National Insurance Company and was very much involved in school and community activities, even serving as president of her son’s PTA at one point.

After Bill’s untimely death at age forty-two, she co-founded a local chapter of the widowed support group THEOS (They Help Each Other Spiritually), eventually helping to establish seven other Arkansas chapters. After working in THEOS, she and Susan Dodson Hiller (another young widow) decided to start a business of their own. After several iterations, it became Medical Office Managements Systems, Inc. (MOMS- quite appropriate since they were both moms.), specializing in computerizing medical clinics. In 1992 MOMS was chosen as the Arkansas Small Business of the Year. After MOMS was sold, Ann joined the staff of her church, St. James United Methodist. In that position she established and was director of a training center for Community of Hope, a Lay Chaplaincy program. To date, more than three hundred people have passed through this program.

Ann is survived by her children, Beverly Baskette Ryan, Bradley Allen Baskette (Sherri) and Barton Alden Baskette, her grandchildren, Jordan Ryan, Elizabeth Baskette, Rudy Baskette, and her great-grandchild, Lilly Baskette. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her favorite cousins, Vera Bowers and Charlene Barksdale.

Funeral services will be 10:00am, Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at Smith Little Rock Funeral Home (8801 Knoedl Ct. Little Rock, Arkansas 72205) with Greg Schick officiating. Ann will be laid to rest next to her late husband at Ida Mission Cemetery. Ann requested that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the American Cancer Society or a charity of one’s choosing.