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- Austin Bell Funeral Home
James David Bass, Sr.
July 27, 1924 ? May 1, 2013
James David Bass, Sr. was born the youngest of four children in Campti, Louisiana July 27, 1924 to Mayor Samuel Benjamin Bass and Lillian Buena Corley. James was named after his Great Grandfather James W. and his grandfather David Webb Bass of Lone Pine, LA. He attended college in Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA and Louisiana Tech in Ruston, LA until his education was interrupted by the outbreak of WWII when he voluntarily joined the US Navy. He fought in Pacific Theater of WWII in the US Navy aboard the escort aircraft carrier the USS Suwannee (CVE 27) where he was an airplane mechanic on the flight deck. His ship saw a lot of combat action, and James was wounded in battle at Leyte Gulf being badly burned when a Japanese kamikaze pilot crashed into the ship and received the Purple Heart. His ship received thirteen Battle Stars during the course of WWII including the Service Star. Over the years, James attended a number of ship reunions organized by his shipmates of the USS Suwannee (www.usssuwannee.org), including one reunion held in Nashville, TN.
After WWII, James relocated to Fort Worth TX for awhile, after the war. In 1947 he bought a ticket for a chance on a brand new Studebaker, one of the first off the line after the war. He was bowled over when they notified him he had won! He had to call his father and borrow the money to pay the taxes on it.
In the late 1940's, James took over his father's pulp wood business in Campti, LA. It was quite a job to keep all the trucks running, buy the timber, manage the crews, arrange sale and transport of the pulp wood, and handle the payroll. Eventually he sold the pulp wood business and went to Shreveport where he worked as an accountant at Davis Wholesale Drug. Around 1965, James went to work in the Federal Civil Service at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City. Around that time, he also joined the Naval Reserves Unit as he always wanted to do his part to help the United States and enjoyed the comradery of our armed forces. He retired from Barksdale Air Force Base civil service as Chief of Material Accounting, and US Naval Reserve. He loved to work on small engines, garden and fish. He always wanted a boat though he didn't buy one until he was in his 50's.
After retirement in 1990, James moved to Springfield, TN with his wife Lula Marie Bass. James had made a promise to Marie that they would move back to her hometown area in Tennessee after retirement, and happily remained in Springfield, TN for approximately 17 years. In 2010, about 5 years after his beloved wife Marie had passed away and signs of failing health, James returned to Louisiana to be near his son Jack & Family in Alexandria.
He contracted pancreatic cancer in April of 2013 and passed away at age 88 on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at the Grace Home of Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, LA. Both his father and grandfather had succumbed of this rapid growing cancer.
He is survived by his sons Barry P. Moody of Gulf Breeze, FL, Jack L. Bass of Alexandria, LA, James D. Bass II, of Cape Canaveral, FL, daughter Rebecca B. Bonner of Edmond, OK, daughter-in-law Christine Brown of Cross Plains, TN, grandsons Tracy S. Moody, Preston E. Moody, granddaughters Penny E. Moody, Brandie A. Bass, Jodie L. Bass, and Andrea L. Bonner, great granddaughter Izabella M. Ramero, stepson Gary Pirtle, step grandson Travis Pirtle, step granddaughter Stephanie Jones, and step great grandchildren Michael Jones, Anna Jones, and Gabriel Jones.
The funeral will be held at Austin & Bell Funeral Home in White House, TN on Friday May 10, 2013 at 1 PM. The visitation will be 10 AM 1o 1PM just prior to the service. Pallbearers: James D. Bass II., Vincent K. Bonner, Gary Pirtle, John Hicks, and Charlie Dantzler.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1924 - 2013 (88 years)
(Age 68 years)