Ryan Kenneth Bass

Ryan Kenneth Bass, 32, of Raleigh, North Carolina, passed away in his sleep on June 19, 2022. For several years, Ryan battled deep depression and had developed significant health issues due to self-medicating with alcohol.

Ryan was born in Boulder, Colorado on June 22, 1989. He graduated from Leesville Road High School and went on to receive his Bachelor’s degree from Liberty University.

At the time of his death, Ryan worked for Oracle Corp. in the area of Incident Support. He had previously worked as a guidance counselor for Liberty University Online.

Ryan was a gifted singer. He was proud to sing with Capital Pride under the direction of Diane Covington at Leesville Road High School. He also enjoyed singing competitively in barbershop quartets. Later, Ryan would join the Raleigh Master Chorale.

While at Liberty University, Ryan was a tournament winning policy debater as well as a debate coach and debate tournament judge.

Ryan was proud to have traveled to Kenya twice as a teen sharing the love of Jesus with the people there. He always talked about how moved he was by the joy he saw in people who had so little. On a trip to Belize, he was trained in basic dental hygiene and was tasked with cleaning children’s teeth. We were all surprised by how much he enjoyed the work.

In the last several years, Ryan found a passion for cooking. He cooked some amazing meals! Seafood was his specialty. He loved spicy foods, too, and had several Mexican specialties. Ryan spoiled his dad with homemade tortillas. When Ryan cooked at the house, his mom enjoyed being his sous chef.

Ryan had a soft spot for animals, particularly dogs. There wasn’t a dog movie made that didn’t make him cry. He had special relationships with his first dog, Lucky, and later, with Chance. Though he would tell you he wasn’t a cat person, he had a strong connection to Allison’s cat, whom he fondly called “Scared Cat”. The family cockatiel only liked Ryan and would animatedly demonstrate it every time Ryan appeared.

Ryan loved being a big brother. He was Allison’s greatest defender, protector, encourager and cheerleader. He was so proud that she followed him into singing with Capital Pride. He shared her love of theater and was thrilled to see "Hamilton" with Allison by his side. Ryan enjoyed talking politics with her. Ryan loved Family Game Night and often chose to have Allison as his partner. As a young kid, he reluctantly “miscounted” every time to avoid landing on her favorite property, “Pony Ride”, in "Junior Monopoly". He could even be talked into a round of "Pretty Pretty Princess!"

Ryan is survived by his parents, Robert and Suzanne Bass, and his sister, Allison Bass, of Raleigh, North Carolina; his maternal grandparents, Kenneth and Anne Davison of Carrollton, Georgia; his paternal grandmother, Edna Bass, of Montgomery, Alabama; his aunt and uncle, Carole and Matt Eddleman, and cousins, Lauren, Mitchell, and Jacob Eddleman, of Carrollton, Georgia, his uncle, Jerry Bass, and cousins, Leslie Ogburn and Jason Bass, of Pike Road, Alabama.

Ryan is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, James Bass.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider donations to the Durham Rescue Mission, the Wake County SPCA, or Alcoholics Anonymous.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.brownwynneeastmillbrook.com for the Bass family.