Yesterday, long-time Board member and Save Mount Diablo supporter Burt Bassler passed away.
Burt Bassler was a conservation champion, one of our longest serving Treasurers, and a big part of what made Save Mount Diablo into the organization that it is today.
Burt’s commitment to land conservation on and around Mount Diablo was an inspiration to many people, including all of us at Save Mount Diablo.
Burt and his partner, Gloria, at Moonlight on the Mountain. Photo by Jessamyn Photography
After growing up in Chicago, Burt moved to Danville in 1977, a time when the town looked far different than it does today. He loved to ride his horse all over the mountain—Burt cherished the solitude and open space the Diablo region provided.
He witnessed the major suburban growth of the 1980s before joining Save Mount Diablo as a member of our Development Committee in 1998, having been introduced to the organization by Bob Marx.
Burt with some of his family at our 50th anniversary Moonlight on the Mountain. Photo by Jessamyn Photography
“I can remember one morning I was getting ready to go to work,” he recalled in his oral history, “and I heard this sort of loud rumbling outside. And I went out in the backyard, and, you know, not right next door, but maybe a block away, there was a big bulldozer and it was clear that they were going to start building homes there.”
During his 27 years of service, Burt has served on our Development, Stewardship, Finance, Executive, and Governance Committees. He was Save Mount Diablo’s Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair from 2004 until his passing.
Burt Bassler and Save Mount Diablo Executive Director Ted Clement
Burt was a major ambassador for Save Mount Diablo’s conservation mission, having created new partnerships and encouraged numerous people to get involved, and was a long-time steward of one of our properties.
He was also a major donor over the years, significantly supporting our conservation work through his contributions and inspiring more donors to support our work with numerous generous matching grants.
Burt and Gloria with Save Mount Diablo Board member Claudia Hein at Moonlight on the Mountain. Photo by Scott Hein
As our Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair, he carefully monitored Save Mount Diablo’s financial health and guided the organization through the 2008 recession.
His sound financial wisdom enabled us to protect more land over the decades as we worked to advance Save Mount Diablo’s ambitious land conservation mission.
Burt and Gloria at Save Mount Diablo’s Curry Canyon Ranch property in the spring
To honor his years of overwhelming commitment to conservation on and around Mount Diablo, he was awarded the Mountain Saver Award in 2022.
In 2021 and 2022, UC Berkeley’s Oral History Center of The Bancroft Library created a series of oral histories of the individuals who have helped create and build Save Mount Diablo. One of them is Burt Bassler.
You can listen to Burt Bassler’s story on the UC Berkeley website.
Burt Bassler was a colleague, a friend, and a historic ambassador for land conservation. We are forever grateful to have known him.
