William Arthur Bass, Jr., 85, a dedicated husband, father and soldier, was born in Rex Hospital in Raleigh, NC on Friday, July 13, 1928, of the late Nancy Ann Bunn Bass of Zebulon, NC and the late William Arthur Bass of Nashville, NC, and died Friday, December 13, 2013, also in Rex Hospital. As you can tell, 13 was his favorite number.
A dedicated husband, father and soldier, Bill (or “Billy” to some) was beloved by many, from his family to his many friends, military colleagues of 28 years and Great American Insurance Company colleagues of 37 years, not to mention his doctors, housekeeper, pharmacist, mail carrier and probably every employee of the K&W Cafeteria in Cameron Village where he and his beloved bride of 64 years, Dorothy Whitehurst Bass, dined many times a week.
As a child Bill lived and carried a paper route in the Historic Oakwood neighborhood in Raleigh and graduated from Hugh Morson High School in 1946. Drafted during the Korean War, he graduated first in his class from Officers’ Candidate School and eventually attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve. He was a Battery Commander in Youngsville, NC, an Administrative Officer at the North Carolina Military Academy and served as North Carolina State Marksmanship Coordinator, retiring from the military in 1981.
He is survived by his beautiful wife Dot, of Raleigh; his children, William Bretford Bass, 54, of Wake Forest and his daughter, Dorothy Bass Burch, 47, of Raleigh; his grandchildren, William Christopher Bass, 29, Alexander Patrick Bass, 23, Mason Garrett Bass, 18, all of Wake Forest and Graham Whitehurst Burch, 17, and Charlotte Grace Burch, 14, both of Raleigh; his loving sisters, Patricia Bass Bryan and Nancy Bass Solomon, both of Raleigh; two nieces, Tracy Solomon Weekman and Wendy Solomon Fox, both of Raleigh, and a nephew, Timothy Macon Bryan, also of Raleigh.
A gifted dancer, singer and musician with a wonderful sense of humor, he loved music, woodworking, gardening in his beautiful North Hills yard and chocolate covered cherries.
Visitation with the family will be Tuesday, December 17 from 6-8pm at Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church on Six Forks Road in Raleigh and funeral services celebrating his thankfully lengthy and colorful life will be held at 1:30pm on Wednesday, December 18, also at Hudson Memorial, with graveside services with full military honors immediately following the service at Raleigh Memorial Park.
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