Phyllis E. Bass

Phyllis Eleanor Bass, 90, passed away peacefully on February 13, 2022 in Woodbridge, VA where she resided for the past 2 years. Phyllis was born on June 20, 1931 in Suffolk, VA to the late John and Irene Banks and later moved to New York in her youth and attended high school in Philadelphia.

Phyllis was predeceased by her husband, George Mercer Bass Sr, who passed away on October 30, 1985. Phyllis and George met in Philadelphia and were married in Hawaii on November 6, 1958. George served in the US Army and he and Phyllis traveled the world together. They resided in Hawaii, California, Germany, and New York before making their home in New Jersey with their son George Jr. in 1969.

Phyllis and George Sr. loved to entertain and hosted many of their friends and family for pinochle, barbecues, and their world-famous New Year’s Eve party held at their residence in Freehold Township, NJ. Phyllis was a gregarious fierce friend and loved everyone as if they were family. She maintained close friendships from her early childhood in the Catskills of NY until her passing in Woodbridge, VA.

She was a founding member and President of the United Black Families of Freehold Township (UBFFT). The organization was focused on fellowship and community service and handed out over $90,000 in scholarships over 25 years of operation.

Phyllis retired from federal service at Fort Monmouth, NJ in 1990 and quickly picked up Bridge, which became a passion she shared with many of her friends in NJ and later in VA. After retirement, Phyllis remained active socially holding a number of positions with the Ocean Chapter of the Drifters, supporting the local community, and providing scholarships to high school students in Ocean County. Phyllis loved the finer things in life and collected figurines and crystal from around the world. She also really loved shopping and would often lose her young son, George Jr. at the department stores. She moved to Virginia in 2019 to be closer to her son, George Mercer Bass Jr., and his family as her health began to decline.

She was predeceased by her husband, George M. Bass Sr., parents, John Banks and Irene (Watford) Banks, and several of her aunts and uncles. She leaves, to cherish her memories, her son, George M. Bass Jr and his wife, Cynthia of Alexandria, VA, grandson, Xavier Nathaniel Bass of Richmond, VA, granddaughter, Sydnee Victoria Bass of Alexandria, VA, a host of cousins in New York and North Carolina, and many, many dear friends, as well as the caring Staff at the Tribute in Woodbridge, VA.

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