Dorothy "Dot" Lucile Whitehurst Bass

Dorothy Lucile Whitehurst Bass was a devoted mother, wife, sister, daughter, niece, aunt, grandmother, godmother and friend who sustained so many of us, even at age 96. The daughter of Esther Mae Campbell Whitehurst and George Franklin “Punch” Whitehurst, Dot was born at home in a farmhouse in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, on Thursday, February 5, 1925, (before the Great Depression and World War II and only five years after women were given the right to vote). She was kind, generous, smart, intellectually driven and pragmatic. She graduated from Conetoe High School at age 16, left home the next year and moved into a boarding house on Blount Street in downtown Raleigh in 1942. After attending the Raleigh School of Commerce, she was employed as an accountant at Carolina Coach Company where she met her beloved husband of 64 years, William “Bill” Arthur Bass, Jr., who passed away on December 13, 2013. Dot and Bill helped to organize a church in their new North Hills neighborhood, Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church, and were charter members. An active and devoted servant of the Presbyterian Church (USA), locally and nationally, she was an ordained elder from 1977 until her death, was elected a lifetime member of the Hudson Women of the Church, chaired countless committees, directed countless weddings and receptions, worked for the Presbytery office for 16 years, served on the Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry for many years, was a church vacancy counselor, assisted in the organization of Kirk of Kildaire, Presbyterian in Cary, served on the Presbyterian Urban Council of Raleigh, helped organize the North Hills Crisis Center (now North Raleigh Ministries) and, with Joyce Bauer, helped organize the Administrative Personnel Association Presbyterian Church (USA), the national association serving non-pastoral staff at PC (USA) churches across the United States. Also a community servant, Dot served on the organizing committee for the Raleigh Greenway System, drove for Meals on Wheels, volunteered in schools and ran for election to the Wake County School Board. Open-minded and progressive, she embodied a spirit of acceptance of and non-judgment towards all people, regardless of whether they were like her or not. Incredibly present and graceful at making all feel seen and loved, her family will miss her terribly, but know she is enjoying a hard-earned and well-deserved rest. She is survived by two children, William Bretford Bass of Wake Forest and Dorothy Bass Burch of Raleigh and five grandchildren, William Christopher Bass, Alexander Patrick Bass and Mason Garrett Bass, all of Wake Forest, Graham Whitehurst Burch of Durham and Charlotte Grace Burch of Raleigh and several beloved godchildren . Her sweet and tireless caregiver of the last eight years, Amy Ellis Holdford, was like a daughter to her and the precious and gentle Elizabeth Owaka lovingly assisted Amy with her care. We all honor her, bless her passage to God’s greater kingdom and know for a fact that she has already been elected as chairman of an Angel Committee because she knows how to get good things done (decently and in order - she was Presbyterian, after all). No doubt either that she will be hosting beautiful parties in heaven with her gorgeous floral arrangements, that famous lime sherbet punch, yummy cucumber sandwiches and homemade peach ice cream.

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Dorothy Lucile Whitehurst Bass, one of the most amazing people to ever walk the earth, transitioned to her heavenly life on Saturday morning, December 4, 2021, peacefully and surrounded by love. She was a devoted mother, wife, sister, daughter, niece, aunt, grandmother, godmother and friend who sustained so many of us, even at age 96. The daughter of Esther Mae Campbell Whitehurst and George Franklin “Punch” Whitehurst, Dot was born at home in a farmhouse in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, on Thursday, February 5, 1925, (before the Great Depression and World War II and only five years after women were given the right to vote). She was kind, generous, smart, intellectually driven and pragmatic. She graduated from Conetoe High School at age 16, left home the next year and moved into a boarding house on Blount Street in downtown Raleigh in 1942. After attending the Raleigh School of Commerce, she was employed as an accountant at Carolina Coach Company where she met her beloved husband of 64 years, William “Bill” Arthur Bass, Jr., who passed away on December 13, 2013. Dot and Bill helped to organize a church in their new North Hills neighborhood, Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church, and were charter members. An active and devoted servant of the Presbyterian Church (USA), locally and nationally, she was an ordained elder from 1977 until her death, was elected a lifetime member of the Hudson Women of the Church, chaired countless committees, directed countless weddings and receptions, worked for the Presbytery office for 16 years, served on the Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry for many years, was a church vacancy counselor, assisted in the organization of Kirk of Kildaire, Presbyterian in Cary, served on the Presbyterian Urban Council of Raleigh, helped organize the North Hills Crisis Center (now North Raleigh Ministries) and, with Joyce Bauer, helped organize the Administrative Personnel Association Presbyterian Church (USA), the national association serving non-pastoral staff at PC (USA) churches across the United States. Also a community servant, Dot served on the organizing committee for the Raleigh Greenway System, drove for Meals on Wheels, volunteered in schools and ran for election to the Wake County School Board. Open-minded and progressive, she embodied a spirit of acceptance of and non-judgment towards all people, regardless of whether they were like her or not. Incredibly present and graceful at making all feel seen and loved, her family will miss her terribly, but know she is enjoying a hard-earned and well-deserved rest. She is survived by two children, William Bretford Bass of Wake Forest and Dorothy Bass Burch of Raleigh and five grandchildren, William Christopher Bass, Alexander Patrick Bass and Mason Garrett Bass, all of Wake Forest, Graham Whitehurst Burch of Durham, Charlotte Grace Burch of Raleigh and several beloved godchildren . Her sweet and tireless caregiver of the last eight years, Amy Ellis Holdford, was like a daughter to her and the precious and gentle Elizabeth Owaka lovingly assisted Amy with her care. We all honor her, bless her passage to God’s greater kingdom and know for a fact that she has already been elected as chairman of an Angel Committee because she knows how to get good things done (decently and in order - she was Presbyterian, after all). No doubt either that she will be hosting beautiful parties in heaven with her gorgeous floral arrangements, that famous lime sherbet punch, yummy cucumber sandwiches and homemade peach ice cream. Thank you, Mama/Grandma/AmMommy/Aunt Dot/Dot, on behalf of all whose lives you have touched, many of them quite profoundly. You were, are and always will be the best of the best. We love you so much and are who we are in part because of you. Memorial service for Dot to be held at 3:00pm on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church, 4921 Six Forks Rd, Raleigh (use entrance at corner of Cranbrook and Six Forks Road).