Mason Bass, Jr. 89 of Columbus, KS died Saturday July 7, 2018 at his home.
He was born February 17, 1929 in Walnut, Kansas to Anna E. Wilson and Mason Bass, Sr. He was born third among four children. Growing up, he enjoyed playing pool, board games, and on the basketball team for Walnut High School, where he graduated in 1947. Upon graduation, Mason Junior worked for his father and with his brother, Chauncey ‘Bob’ Bass, for Bass & Sons Logging Company in Walnut Kansas.
Mason was drafted and served in active combat from 1951-1953 in the Korean War, where he served as an E-1 Private First Class soldier in the U.S. Army and later was promoted to E-4, Corporal. He was also instrumental in constructing an airstrip near Taegu, South Korea, which served to turn the tide in that conflict for the UN Forces. Mason earned two bronze stars for serving in an active combat zone, the U.S. Army Achievement Medal, and several letters of commendation. After serving his country, he returned to SE Kansas.
Mason then met and courted his beautiful wife, Lottie Tipping, at the Blue Goose Café, in Erie, Kansas. They were married in 1955 at the First Christian Church in Erie, Kansas, raised six children, and shared nearly 65 years together. Early in their marriage, Mason worked for the Walters Drilling Company and the Erie Creamery, and in 1966, he signed on to work with Union LP Gas, where he worked until his retirement in 1994. Initially, he worked in Pittsburg with Duane Hoy, with whom he then shared a working relationship and life-long friendship. Within a few years of beginning work with Union LP Gas, he then opened the distribution plant in Columbus.
In Columbus, Mason was active in the community, where he played for a few years with the Columbus Teen Town Basketball League. Once his children were of coaching age, he then turned his attention to coaching baseball and softball for many years, and later, he avidly followed the sports games and music performances of his grandchildren. In his retirement, Mason joined the First Christian Church of Columbus. Mason was active in the civic life of Columbus as well. He served two terms as a City Council Member for Ward 5 in Columbus, and managed to see all of the streets get fresh pavement during that time. Mason was an active member of the American Legion Post #3, where one of his favorite activities was calling bingo on Sunday evenings for about five years. He was a life-time member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post #1372 in Columbus, which he served in several leadership roles over the years including the local Commander position. In addition, he served as Third District Commander for the state of Kansas, and was active in state conventions. Mason was an accomplished dancer, and he and Lottie enjoyed dancing as members of the Eagle Picher Squares dance group for many years.
Mason enjoyed fishing and frogging with his friends, family, and sons, Phillip and Randy. He had a competitive streak when it came to the family games of pitch, dominoes and pool. He loved large family get-togethers, and sharing meals as a family was always a priority. Mason loved fresh fried catfish, and he appreciated strawberry shortcake, both in preparing and eating it. He was a lifetime fan of the New York Yankees, but his favorite teams were the Columbus Fighting Titans. In the last year of his life, Mason was cared for in the home by his wife, Lottie, his family, and Brandi Thompson, of Columbus, in whom the family is especially grateful.
Mason will be missed by his wife, Lottie, of the home. He is survived by their six children, including Randy Bass of Columbus; Shirley Redd and partner, Frank Riley, of Columbus; Sharon Carpino and partner, Eric Ewing, of Pittsburg, Kansas; Phyllis Kelly and husband, Doug, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; Phillip Bass and wife, Cindy, of Hallowell; and Loretta Bass and husband, John Kmetz, of Norman, Oklahoma. Mason is also survived by his little sister, Pauline Wood, and her husband, Joe, of Cambria, California, as well as his first cousin and life-long friend, Bud Bass, and his wife, Mary, of Denver, Colorado, and nephew Keith Carson and wife, Denise, of Cary, North Carolina. Mason is survived by twelve grandchildren and their spouses, including John Paul Redd and Simon Moeller, Julie and Christopher Killebrew, Robbie and Madeline Carpino, Amanda and Darin Treiber, Emily Carpino, Blaine Kelly, Anna Kelly, Mason Bass, Cordell Bass, Avery Bass, Gus Kmetz, and Elliott Kmetz. Also, Mason is survived by six great-grandchildren including Kaydence and Kylen Killebrew, Callie and Cami Carpino, and Ava and Kolt Treiber.
Mason was preceded in death by his parents, Mason and Anna Bass, his sister Opal Carson, his brother Bob Bass and a Grandson Phillip Ian Bass.
Visitation will be held at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Columbus, 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, 2018. The funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Columbus. The Kansas Military Honors Detail Team will conduct a military service at the graveside at noon at Walnut Cemetery. Pall bearers will be John Paul Redd, Simon Moeller, Christopher Killebrew, Robbie Carpino, Darin Treiber, Blaine Kelly, Mason Bass, Cordell Bass, Avery Bass, Gus Kmetz, Elliott Kmetz, and Richie Reissig. Honorary pall bearers will be Randy Bass, Phillip Bass, Keith Carson, Frank Riley, Eric Ewing, Doug Kelly, and John Kmetz. A memorial has been set up to support the work of the First Christian Church in Columbus. Condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com.
Services and arrangements are under the direction of the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Columbus.
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