Basil G. Dandison Jr.

June 5, 1936 - April 10, 2019

Stratham – Basil G. “Bo” Dandison, Jr., of Stratham, formerly of Yarmouthport and Lexington, died on April 10, 2019 from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Loving husband of Judy J. Dandison for over 50 years. Proud father of Mark E. Dandison and his wife, Diana Faust, and of Kristin J. Walsh and her husband, Charles Walsh. Devoted grandfather to Evonne J. Walsh. Bo was born in 1936 to Basil G. Dandison and Minnie R. Dandison and spent his childhood in Newton Centre and later in Greenwich, CT. After graduation from Brunswick School in 1955, he received a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan in 1959 and then joined the Marine Corps as part of the PLC officer-in-training program, serving for three years in Okinawa and Parris Island. Following in his father’s footsteps, he began a long and satisfying career in publishing in 1962, first as a “college traveler” in the Midwest and San Francisco Bay area, and later as acquisitions editor in electrical engineering for the College Textbook Division of McGraw-Hill Book Company in New York City. It was during those years that he met and married the love of his life, Judy. In 1970, he joined the College Division of Little, Brown and Company in Boston where he worked as economics editor before switching to the sales side of the business and serving as regional sales manager and national sales manager with responsibility for four regions and 40 sales reps. Admired for his leadership ability and firm but friendly manner, he advised those who worked for him to “look a disgruntled professor in the eye, stand your ground, and make the sale.” After 20 years with Little, Brown, Bo moved to Cape Cod where he and Judy ran a small bed-and-breakfast. He also worked as a tour guide and led groups across Cape Cod and the Islands, throughout New England, as well as to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, taking pains to learn the history of every place on the itinerary so he could add local color. His interest in history continued when he became president of the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth and founded a men’s book group devoted to history. While living on Cape Cod, Bo also became a Big Brother, was a member of the Unitarian Church of Barnstable, and enjoyed watercolor painting, especially of trees, flowers, and seagulls. In recent years as his Parkinson’s disease progressed, he and Judy relocated to Stratham, NH to be nearer to their children. Although not as active as he once was, Bo liked tending his backyard garden, taking rides along Rye beach, rooting for the Red Sox and the Patriots, going to exercise class, and watching his granddaughter grow. In addition to his immediate family, Bo leaves behind two treasured older sisters, May Louise Paton and Chloe Nolan, as well as several nieces and nephews and their children. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Kathy Box, and her husband, Lon. Bo will be forever in our hearts because of his incredible generosity, warmth, humility, and loyalty to family and friends. A Celebration of Life will be held from 1 to 3PM on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at the Seacoast Science Center, 510 Ocean Boulevard, Rye Beach, NH 03870. The family invites all those who would like to share memories of Bo to attend. Donations in Bo’s name may be made to the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth, P.O. Box 11, Yarmouthport, MA 02675.