Phyllis Bass

Phyllis Bass passed away Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at the Sunrise Senior Center in Scottsdale, AZ. Memorial services will be 3:30 P.M., Saturday, June 29, 2013, at Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, Decatur, IL, with visitation at 3:00 P.M. until service time at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Grace United Methodist Church, Decatur, IL, or to the charity of donor's choice. Phyllis was born August 28, 1918 in Blue Mound, IL, the daughter of William H. and Lola F. Orey. She married Ray Bass, Jr. on June 22, 1941. She began her love of gardening and flower arranging in 1937 while working at Dought's Nursery in Decatur. While raising their three sons, Phyllis cared for their homes on Monroe Street, Greenridge Drive, Del Oak, and finally West Riverview in Decatur. She and her husband Ray loved to entertain Staley coworkers, countless friends and family for many years in Decatur, as well as many family and friends in Scottsdale where they wintered each year beginning in 1986. In their early travels West, Phyllis made many friends and enjoyed her church family at Paradise Valley United Methodist Church (PVUMC). Phyllis also maintained her lifelong membership at Grace United Methodist Church in Decatur. Her faith service took her on mission trips to Haiti where she participated in building a school and to the Holy Land. She read and studied the Bible from cover to cover for ten years before failing sight led her to books on tape. She joyfully volunteered for many church committees, and was active while her sons were in school. While volunteering at Mound, her dear friend Mary Barnes encouraged her to become the first president of the MacArthur P.T.A. She thoroughly enjoyed it! Phyllis loved to cook for family gatherings and of course, all holidays and birthdays. Her Christmas Eve chicken and noodles are still remembered by all! Her homemade pumpkin pies were perfection every Thanksgiving. Mom lovingly cared for three generations of family in her lifetime! She tended to her parents and mother-in-law until their deaths. She giggled with pure joy as she bathed each of her four grandchildren the first time, played dress up with the girls and watched the boys in sports. She considered her seven great grandchildren to all be examples of God's perfection on earth! Besides church, family, food and flowers, Phyllis loved music and played the organ for family and close friends. She especially loved dancing with her sons at weddings and birthday celebrations. There is a New York Times best seller by Ann Voskamp entitled, One Thousand Gifts. The author's point to each of us is a "dare to LIVE FULLY right where you are." All who knew Phyllis Orey Bass knew she certainly lived fully and shared fully with all of us wherever she was. Her loving wisdom will be remembered; and her generous spirit will be greatly missed. Surviving are her three sons: Skip (Cris) Bass of Tempe, AZ, Bill (LeEtta) Bass of Forsyth, IL, and Stephen Bass of Scottsdale, AZ. Phyllis cherished her four grandchildren: Angela McCarty (Sam) of Tucson, AZ, Eric Bass of Chandler, AZ, Corey (Liz) Bass and Kirsten (Brian) Kilday of Plainfield, IL. She cherished and prayed for daily, her seven great grandchildren: Addison, Jackson and Brendan McCarty, Delaney and Will Bass, Hannah and Declan Kilday. Phyllis is also survived by her sister Delores Atchison of Lee's Summit, MO and her brother-in-law Jim Curry of Dallas, TX. Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband Ray, her sister Betty (Everett) Balding, her brother-in-law Sam Atchison, her sister-in-law Suzanne Curry, and brother and sister-in-law Bill and Ruthie Bass. Condolences may be left to the family at www.brintlingerandearl.com "
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