Jean C. Bassett, 77, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away from complications of an aortic aneurysm rupture on, March 31, 2010, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas, with her husband and daughters by her side. Jean was very active in the cat fancy, and a member of Greater Baton Rouge Cat Club.
Jean C. Bassett, 77, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away from complications of an aortic aneurysm rupture on, March 31, 2010, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas, with her husband and daughters by her side. Jean was very active in the cat fancy, and a member of Greater Baton Rouge Cat Club.Jean and her daughter, Pam, registered PaJean cattery in 1986, creating their cattery name by combining their first names. Pam was the first one interested in cats — Jean just agreed to “help out” at the start. However, she was soon hooked! Jean was most interested in the smoke & tabby divisions, while Pam concentrated on the bicolor Persians.
In 1989, Jean started her silver tabby program with two silver tabby kittens from Gemenee Cattery, in Washington state. A fortuitous start to her silver tabbies, as the female – GC Gemenee Tiffany of PaJean, DM produced their first Cat of the Year, GC, NW PaJean’s Trinket Love, DM!
GC, BW, NW PaJean’s Trinket Love, DM,
Silver McTabby Female
Best Cat in Championship in CFA 1993-94
It was not unusual for Pam and Jean to travel with a van-load of kitties to shows all over the southern United States. Other times, mother and daughter would be flying to different destinations on the same weekend to campaign shows with different cats. For more than 20 years, PaJean Persians have appeared regularly on the list of national winners in CFA
Jean produced 7 National Winning tabby Persians over the years, and 4 of those were silver tabbies, including GC, NW PaJean’s Trinket Love, DM. “Trinket” made breed history as CFA’s first silver tabby National Winner and CFA’s first silver tabby Distinguished Merit cat.
Jean also campaigned another history maker, GC, NW Bien-Aime MS Simone of PaJean, who became CFA’s first shaded silver to earn a National Kitten win when she was 14th Best Kitten for the 1995-1996 show season.
GC, NW Bien-Aime MS Simone of PaJean
Jean was also noted for her big personality, distinctive hair color and passion for all things Southern. A grand dame of the old school, she will be very much missed.
