Marrying my best friend was one of the best days of my life and I'm sure if he were here today he would also say the same thing. But, the three most proud moments of Jake's life would be the birth of his three princesses. Jake had always wanted girls, and girls only because his theory was that they would come back and take care of him when he was old. And everyone that knows Jake saw what a wonderful "girl" dad he was to them. As mentioned earlier, he did everything with them from playing tea party to taking them hunting and fishing, to watching Star Wars, and letting them put make up on him. He was the "ultimate" girls daddy. He taught them so much and I'm sad that they will not grow up watching his example of how a man should treat a woman. He was the perfect example...

We planned our wedding in about 9 months. On September 24, 2005 we were married in the Canton United Methodist Church and had our reception at the Gran View in Ogdensburg. We had one of the best weddings and most fun surrounded by family and friends. Everything was perfect including the beautiful, Fall weather. In the years following, we worked hard and played hard. We traveled to Florida, St. Martin (with the Basta clan), honeymooned in Eleuthra, Bahamas (with John and Kim), Mexico (with John, Kim, and family), and St. Thomas (Ava was a baby). We also went to Lake Placid often, traveled to Rhode Island, and Tubac, Arizona. During this time we also did a lot of renovations on our house. Every room was renovated except our master bedroom and livingroom.

Jacob Michael Basta was born in Rochester, NY at Strong Memorial Hospital, on July 6, 1974 to John Carmelo Basta and Sarah Mary Sullivan Basta. Jake had two older siblings, Danielle and John.

Jake excelled at most everything he tried. Growing up he was an avid sports star - playing baseball, football, racing dirt bikes, skiing (moguls), wrestling, and in college he played lacrosse. As an adult, he loved to golf. His brother and Uncle will attest to the fact that he had the best drive.

He loved to fish especially fly fishing, hunt, and anything that had to do with the outdoors. His family spent vacations in the Thousand Islands and Cape Cod.

Jake was a lover of music (Grateful Dead, classical, country, and most anything), he loved movies, and books.

So in 2003 Jake moved to Pulaski and began working as a salesman at Landfirst specializing in selling raw land near state land and waterfront. He did really well and loved what he did. I followed in 2004 after completing graduate school (I had to live with his parents for a few months). We began renting a house on the estuary of the Salmon River which we eventually purchased in 2005. So of course we knew that we would eventually get married but I had no idea that Jake was searching for a ring. This is something he did on his own and even designed it. His plan was to ask me the day before Christmas as I was heading to Canton for Christmas and he was heading to Rochester. Well, there was a big snow storm right before Christmas and Jake waited for days for "something" to arrive. I thought it was strange that he worked from home those days and never changed out of his sweatpants but he had to sign for the package and didn't want me to be the one home when it arrived. The ring eventually arrived and I met him in Rochester to spend Christmas with his family. He took me and Chinook to Boughton Park in Victor and that is where he asked me. And of course I said YES!

Jake was a kind, sweet, caring, compassionate, and gentle soul. He was a hard worker and always wanted the best for his family. He had a heart of gold and witty personality. He had the best laugh as many say he sounded like a "seal" or "the cat in the hat" and the biggest smile. Jake was selfless and always put my needs or the girls before his own. He always knew a lot of stats or facts. He persevered at everything and would not give up. He was the perfect father to 3 girls...he played barbies, princesses, tea party, nail polish, makeup, made arts and crafts, took them fishing, hunting, running, boating, camping...he loved to teach them and be a part of everything they loved and what he loved. He was a big kid at heart and had as much fun if not more fun at the movies, special events for holidays, Disney on Ice, the zoo, Disney World, special lunch or dinner dates with his girls. He always mentioned how lucky he was to be the daddy of his three precious girls. Jake was a dreamer and risk taker. He aspired to be the best he could be and saw the best in everyone he met. He was grateful for life and the opportunities he had. He was the best husband and father. You are missed everyday. - Jess

My daddy was funny...he let me put makeup on him...he won 3 medals because he never gave up...I really miss him. - Giana (age 5)

My daddy was a nice person...he was a hunter, fisherman, runner and he loved to do all these things with me...he was responsible...he wouldn't do my mommy's lists...he taught me how to ride my bike and shoot a bow and arrow...And he was the best daddy ever. - Ava (age 7)

Relationships take committment, time, and effort to work. Our dating was not always easy as Jake lived in Buffalo, Southbridge, MA, and then Pulaski for the first 2 years and I was in Rochester. We had our share of ups and downs to say the least and our relationship was tested but our love was stronger than all of the issues we dealt with and we made it work. One or our toughest trials was after Jake's major car accident as his brother called "The Paul Road Challenge". Jake and I had been apart for a few weeks and decided the night before that we would give our relationship another try...blah blah blah. He left my house that next morning early because he had to be to work in Buffalo and was always at the office early. Well, he didn't make it because he fell asleep at the wheel and went up the middle of 490 and jumped a road and landed back on the other side. Little did I know he was at the hospital and I was expecting him that evening to come back to take me to dinner. Instead, I got a knock at the door from his parents (whom at this point I had never met) that they were instructed by Jake to find me on Meigs Street with a purple door (it was really pink). Jake was not always the best with details! The rest of the night was a whirlwind and it was really painful to see Jake in the hospital where he had to stay for days. After that he stayed at his parents for weeks (was back in the hospital again after having a seizure and being mercy flighted). Once he did return to work it was even more difficult because he lost his license for 6 months because of the seizure. At this point, our relationship became even tougher because I had to do all the traveling. But I did it because I loved him and I knew he was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with. Eventually, he moved to Massachusetts, had some more health issues, and then moved to Rochester with me until he took the job at Land First that landed him in Pulaski.

Jake and I met in Rochester at JJ Flynn's on the night of May 18th, 2001. It was the weekend after graduation and I was there with my friend Maureen Snyder Carroll and Jake was there with his friend Joe Kozlowski. I kept watching this handsome man from afar dressed in a white shirt, tie, and dress pants.  I thank my lucky stars everyday that Joe and Maureen happened to know each other (we all attended Nazareth) and Jake just happened to be passing through on his way back to Buffalo from a business trip in Boston. By the end of the evening we were all talking and the guys walked us home to our apartment. Jake was a gentlemen the entire evening and asked me to go on a date with him the next day for lunch at his favorite Thai restaurant, Mamasan's. I was giddy with excitement the rest of the night and day until he picked me up. Stay tuned...