Anna Laura Fay Bass

Anna Laura Fay Bass

Anna Bass was born in Panama City, Florida, on July 25, 1939, and left this world at Angela Hospice Care Center in Livonia, Michigan, on September 9, 2024. The 85 years between were filled with love, family, activism, careers, friendships, and laughter.

Survived by her children Mike Bass (Kelly), Deanna Bass (Greg Konya), Cindy Bass (Mauricio Jimenez), Tim Bass (Elise), and Amy Morrisey (Tim); grandchildren Nick, Katie, Mikayla, Alexa, Anna, Antony, Dallas, Chloe, Danny, Josh, and Erin; five great-grandchildren; and sisters Rochelle Lindsey, Jan Copes (Robert), and Rose-Marie Fay (Randy Renkin).

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dallas Bass; her parents, Robert and Jewel (Coe) Fay; and her brother, Bob Fay.

Family

Anna was the oldest of five children and often seemed more like a mom than a sister to her younger sisters. She married Dallas Bass on December 22, 1959. When they were together, they were either laughing, or she was admonishing him for being inappropriate! They had five kids, and their house was always filled with people. It was a loud and often chaotic place, but Anna wouldn’t have it any other way. When grandchildren came along, she loved the title of Grandma or, as many called her, Papa Ann. She was proud of all 11 grandchildren and excited to have five great-grandchildren.

Education and Career

Anna loved her kids and also yearned for a career outside the home. In 1971, she walked boldly into a real estate office and asked about becoming a realtor. She was promptly encouraged to go home and take care of her kids. She did not heed that advice. Thirteen years later, she owned part of Jim Masey Realtors in Decatur, Illinois, and was President of the local Board of Realtors. That was Anna—strong and determined.

In 1984, the family moved to Bedford, Texas, where they started Adampac, a packaging company. Anna took on a new career as vice president of a family-owned business. Anyone who has worked in a family-owned business knows what a brave move that was! Her husband, Dallas, died in 1994, and Anna became president.

Anna often said that she’d paid for five degrees and wrote papers for Dallas’s Master’s degree, and she wanted one of her own. She graduated from Dallas Baptist University in her sixties with a Bachelor of Science in business. There was nothing she set her mind to that she didn’t do.

Badassery

Anna was passionate about women. She was at the forefront of women’s issues, proudly displaying her “ERA Yes!” bumper sticker on the Cadillac she drove as a realtor. She marched on  Washington, dialed for Hillary, and was thrilled to see Kamala on the ticket this year. She championed women’s causes and blazed a trail for those who came after her. She also served as a Stephen Minister at St Michael Catholic Church in Bedford, Texas.

Anna moved to Michigan in 2017. She lived at Cedarbrook of Northville. Early in her time there, she led a revolt about something that was going on in the dining room. The Cedarbrook staff has described her as a legend, a trailblazer, and a spark plug.

Anna was a force, and we will miss her.

In her later years, Anna was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease. If you’d like to donate to the Huntington’s Foundation in her honor, you can do so here .

She also loved the Hope Springs Institute in Peebles, Ohio, whose mission is “To hold sacred space and transformative programming for growth, leadership, and healing while honoring mind, body, spirit, and the earth.” She would love to support them as well. Donations can be made here .