| Notes |
The Morning Sun, Pittsburg, Kansas, Sunday, December 11, 2011
Brotherly Love
Roscoe Bass Sr. and his identical twin, Robert Bass Sr., 1943 Pittsburg High School graduates, left Kansas and had distinguished careers in education in Seattle.
They were born March 2, 1926, in Pittsburg, the sons of Dr. Lewis Napier Bass Sr. and his wife Mary (Adams) Bass. The older by 15 minutes, Robert was also the. rst to go, dying on Nov. 24, 2002.
His brother died Nov. 8, 2011, at the age of 85, while visiting relatives in Kansas City.
"We were in Pittsburg two days before he passed, showing his hometown to my niece," said his daughter, Rosalyn Bass-Fournier, in an email.
The two brothers are fondly remembered by those who knew them.
"Their father was a medical doctor, and had his practice where Bitner Motors is now," said Mattye Foxx. "They lived on East 11th Street, and later moved to East Monroe before leaving Pittsburg. Roscoe was just a good, jolly person, always making us laugh."
Part of the laughter came from the twins being frequently confused for each other.
"You'd think you were talking to one of them, and it was the other," said classmate Homer Cole.
He counted Roscoe Bass as a close friend.
"He'd call often, and he came to every one of our reunions," Cole said.
This was during the days of segregation, and while African American students were allowed to attend PHS, they were kept separate from white students in various ways, including eating separately in the school cafeteria, only using the school swimming pool at the end of the week and having separate dances.
"When we had our dances, they'd have to go to the band room," Cole said. "I think they blamed us at first, but we had nothing whatever to do with it.
That was the school board's doing.
It was at our 60th reunion that Roscoe said he was proud to be a member of our class."
"Roscoe and Robert said they never would forget how we were treated, and tried to make amends for it after they left here," Foxx said.
Roscoe Bass taught in Texas before beginning in Seattle in 1958 as a substitute teacher.
He worked at Luther Burbank School for Boys, where brother Robert started teaching in 1957, and at Queen Anne High School before joining Garfield High School.
Roscoe Bass served Garfield as a counselor, assistant principal and principal, and is credited with helping to turn it from a troubled school on the verge of being closed to one of the best in Washington State. After serving as principal for six years, he was assigned to the district's desegregation office.
However, he preferred to be in school, working with students, and in 1982 got the top job at Sharples Alternative High School, a school teaching students with social or academic problems.
He retired in 1994, but never lost his interest in education, and in October attended a Seattle School Board meeting to offer advice on district policy. He was known as a frequent critic of school district spending practices, and a strong advocate for equal education for all.
He was also devoted to his family, including his beloved wife, Zeola (Jones) Bass, who died in 2008.
"He and Robert both met their wives at college here and stayed married until their deaths," Foxx said.
"His brother was a doctor in Kansas City, but he couldn't go to his funeral because his wife had just died," Cole said. "Roscoe's son, Roscoe Bass Jr., died a couple of weeks before he did."
Survivors include his three daughters, Roslyn Bass-Fournier, Sheryll Bass and Paula Evans, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
In addition to his wife and twin brother Robert, he was preceded in death by another brother Dr.
Lewis Napier Bass Jr., a retired pediatrician, who died in 2008, and sister Harriette Thomas, an educator and counselor, who died in 2010. Both were also PSU graduates.
"They were good scholars, good kids and we had a good time," Foxx said. "We never heard anything bad about them. Roscoe and Robert gave their lives to education, and they left their mark."
The Seattle Times, Washington, Saturday, November 12, 2011
Roscoe B. Bass Sr.
Sunrise March 2, 1926 Sunset November 8, 2011
Roscoe was a long time educator in the Seattle Public Schools, and an advocate for youth in furthering their education.
Roscoe touched many lives and will be fondly remembered.
Viewing is at Bonney - Watson, 1732 Broadway, Seattle 98122 on 11/17, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and11/18 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Services will be held Sat. 11/19 at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 1634 19th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 at 11:00 a.m.
Find-a-Grave, Roscoe Benjamin Bass
Roscoe Benjamin Bass Sr. was born on March 2, 1926 to the parents of Dr. Lewis Napier Bass Sr. and Mary (Adams) Bass in Pittsburg, Kansas.
He attended school in Pittsburg, KS. Upon graduation he enlisted in the Army in 1945, was honorably discharged at Fort Lewis WA. 1946 due to the end of WWII. Roscoe graduated from the Kansas State Teachers College in 1951 where he received his Bachelor of Science. He worked the Railroads' Postal Car before traveling to Seattle in 1956. He began his teaching career as a substitute teacher in 1959 at Luther Burbank School for Boys on Mercer Island. Subsequently hired by Seattle Public Schools in 1960. With the School District he held a variety of positions from teacher to guidance counselor, administrator, assistant principal and, ultimately, principal. In addition to his regular school district assignment he earned his master's degree from Seattle University in August 1972. After 30 plus years of service Roscoe retired in 1994.
As his wife Zeola use to say "You can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy!" Roscoe was an avid flower and vegetable gardener growing flowers year ?round so his yard was always colorful. He provided his family with tomatoes, green onions, potatoes collard greens and carrots to name just a few.
As a devoted family man he spent time with his family playing cards, camping, fishing and going to drive in movies. He was a "Jack of many trades" master of none but seem to get the job done. He had many talents which included car repair, concrete pouring, carpenter, electrician, sports enthusiast, plumber. The list goes on and on. He enjoyed conversation and reading autobiographies in his spare time.
Roscoe was preceded by his beloved wife Zeola (Jones) Bass, son Roscoe "Rocky" Bass Jr., older siblings Lewis Napier Bass Jr., Harriette Thomas, identical twin Robert Alexander Bass Sr.
Roscoe leaves to mourn his passing and cherish his memories: daughters Paula (Clifton) Evans, Rosalyn (Maurice Fournier) Bass-Fournier, Sheryll "Reiko" Bass, Grandchildren Kimberly Randle, Tanisha (Kasha) Hughes, Roscoe III, Solon (Celia), Jessie Bass, Mackenzie and Kendall Fournier. Great grandchild Paris Wilson; and a host of other relatives and dear friends.
Viewing is at Bonney-Watson, 1732 Broadway, Seattle 98122 on 11/17, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and 11/18 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Services will be held Sat. 11/19 at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 1634 19th Ave, Seattle WA 98122 at 11:00 a.m.
|
Bassett Family Association Database
1926 - 2011 (85 years)