Roy Bass

Background

Bass was born in Waco, Texas, to Ivan Bass and the former Carrie Byrn.

Education

Baylor University.

Career

In 2008, prior to the 100th anniversary of the founding of Lubbock observed in 2009, Bass was named one of the "100 Most Influential Persons" in the city"s history. Bass received his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees from Baylor University and Baylor Law School in Waco. He also served on the advisory council of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

Though Bass was a Democrat, the offices of mayor and city council are nonpartisan in all Texas municipalities.

Bass met in Lubbock with United States. President Gerald R. Ford, Junior., on the day before Ford lost his fight to challenger Ronald West. Reagan of California for all delegates at stake in the Texas Republican primary election held on May that year. Hobbs left Lubbock in 1987 and relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee.

Mayor Bass championed human rights initiatives. Former Mayor David Langston recalls that the Basses were "leaders in the effort to improve racial relations within our community.

They were for people and businesses who went the extra mile trying to promote diversity in employment and improving and reducing racial discrimination." The Roy B. Bass Human Relations Award is named in his honor.

There is also a Roy Bass Memorial Award presented by the Southwest Lubbock Rotary International. After his death, Bass maintained the family"s involvement in Lubbock civic and community affairs Bass died of an apparent heart attack after working out with a son at the Lubbock Young Men"s Christian Association gymnasium.

Some six months earlier, he had completed his second two-year term as mayor.

Bass died twenty-two years later of Parkinson"s disease. The couple is interred at Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock.

Bass himself was also a Second Baptist deacon. Anita Bass was vice president of the founding board of the South Plains Food Bank.

She was cited for her long-term dedication to community service as the recipient of the George Mahon Award, named for former United States. Representative George Herman Mahon and given by the group, Women in Communications.

She was also active with the American Cancer Society, Lubbock Arts Festival, and Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 2008, Roy Bass was listed among the "100 Most Influential People" from Lubbock, as part of the city centennial observation.

Politics

The Ford diary does not indicate that Bass crossed party lines to endorse Ford but relates merely that he, along with radio broadcaster Clint Formby of Plainview, Texas, greeted the President.

Membership

The Basses were charter members of the Second Baptist Church of Lubbock. She also was a founding member of Second Baptist Church and was one of the first female deacons in the convention.

Connections

Partner:

George Kennett Hobbs