David E Bass

“It is with immense sorrow that I have to announce the passing of my beloved father, David. I’m not terribly fond of traditional obituaries, in that they can never fully encapsulate the life of an individual, or accurately narrate the kind of person that they were. How do you put someone’s life or all that they meant to you in a few paragraphs? So instead, I’d rather share one of the many instances where my Dad made an impression on not just me, but everyone around him. 

When I was about 12, we moved from Northern California to Southern Utah. But before we left my parents had to sell things and go through household items, as one does. One of these things was my mom’s badass 87’ Bronco. It was light blue, and he always made sure my mom had a safe vehicle to get around in. He was always working on it. But we couldn’t take it with us. He always stopped at the same corner store down the street to pick up his cigarettes and always took time to talk to the cashier there. I don’t recall her name. But she was a single mother to a daughter who was about to start college. She was stressing about affording tuition and making sure her daughter could even get there. He was always relentlessly kind to everyone he met. Everyone. No exceptions. So my Dad called her one night to come over to our house and see us before we left. And then he gave her the title to the Bronco and told her to sign it. No strings attached. He could’ve sold it, or made some money off of it. But my father always helped people when he was able to, that is the kind of person he was and always stayed. Even when he was sick, struggling and feeling awful.

He was in failing health for the last 13 years or so. But he never failed to be kind to those around him. My dad was a lot of things. He was a workaholic, a truck driver, a mechanic, a carpenter, a skydiver, a joker, and so much more. But the thing he was most proud of, was having a family. Being a husband and father. In spite of the horrific things he endured growing up, he made sure his kids never knew that kind of suffering. The great love of my fathers life is and always will be, my Mother, Laura. He absolutely adored her. Doted on her. It made us sick growing up. He would always say “I saw her and it was love at first sight. I knew.” But he set the tone for how men should treat their wives and showed his daughters how they deserved to be loved. They were married for over 30 years. Truly marital bliss, even when things were less than perfect. You never saw one without the other, we should all be so lucky. 

My Dad loved music, especially Pink Floyd. He loved hard candies and Smarties. He loved Agatha Christie and B rated SciFi movies. He loved his dogs and taking long naps. He loved spending time with his three children and was never afraid to look goofy. He loved making smoked chicken in the smoker he built himself, and loved that he was famous among our family and friends for it. He loved working on cars and his motorcycle. He loved road-trips and going on adventures with our mother. He loved our mother more than life itself. 

At the end, we played Pink Floyd for him and his wife was at his side, along with his daughters, Alissa and Hazel. He went peacefully and quickly. He went loved and held. 

My Dad was a bad motherfucker. I am proud to be half of him. We never envisioned what life would be like without him and it’s gonna be extraordinarily shitty figuring it out. We weren’t ready to say goodbye, but he was tired. He was ready, but we weren’t. 

‘Kiss me mother kiss your darlin'

Lay my head upon your breast

Throw your loving arms around me

I am weary let me rest’

David E. (He hated his middle name so I won’t disrespect him by putting it) Bass