William "Carrol" Bass

William Carrol Bass was born June 14, 1940. He passed away peacefully April 1, 2025. He grew up in Lufkin, TX, seventh of eight children. He served his country in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany from 1957-1961. He was the first in his family to graduate college and went on to earn a Masters degree in English Literature. After a year teaching at Colorado State University, Carrol moved his family to Hammond in 1969 where he was an English professor at Southeastern Louisiana University until 2006.

He was very involved in his community. He loved theatre and was a founding member of the Columbia Theatre Players and played integral roles from director to actor and set design. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Hammond, where he served the church and the community with Wednesday night suppers as well as writing and directing Christmas plays for the annual Christmas dinner theatre.

Carrol loved his family and adored his late wife, Nancy Hayes Bass. He was a role model for everyone: how marriage should look, selfless service to others, hard work, and putting others before yourself. He spent countless hours at his grandchildren’s activities from baseball and football to soccer, from dance to powerlifting and basketball — always the proud Pop. He loved family gatherings with board games, charades, and all the chaos.

Carrol was preceded in death by his loving wife, Nancy Hayes Bass, his mother, Nell Rose Bass, and father, William Winslow Bass, and all seven siblings.

He is survived by his sisters-in-law, Evelyn K. Hayes and Helen Pope; daughter Becky Bass Seale and husband,Edwin Mark Seale, son, Christopher Carrol Bass and wife, Ashley Edwards Bass, son John Hayes Donnes and wife Genna Davis Donnes, son Michael Denver Bass, nephew, Rufus Hayes Boyd and wife, Sasha Hayes Boyd; grandchildren, Brady Robinson Bass, Amber Donnes Hall, Alexandra Seale Praytor, Brett Carrol Bass, Connor Mark Seale, Nancy Naomi Donnes, Rebekah Dian Bass, John Ross Donnes, Alexis Rose Bass, McAuley Elizabeth Bass, Hayes Christopher Bass, Blythe Evelyn Bass, Brent Elisabeth Bass, and Hunter Irina Sandage; great grandchildren: Beau Malcolm Bass and Thomas James O’Neill. In addition - a multitude of nieces, nephews, and friends who loved Carrol and who were loved by him.

A very special thank you to Hammond Nursing Home — Carrol’s nurses, CNAs, therapy providers, aides, helpers, and food servers for the care and love they showed Carrol in his five-month stay there. Also, thank you to the doctors and nurses and staff at PAM for taking care of him in his last days. Finally, thank you to doctors, nurses, and staff at North Oaks Hospital emergency room and telemetry unit for the care they provided for Carrol.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation for Carrol at Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home in Hammond, 2000 N Morrison Boulevard, Hammond, Louisiana 70401, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, beginning at 12:00 PM until the funeral service begins at 2:00 PM.

Interment will follow at Holly Gardens Cemetery in Hammond, Louisiana.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Our Daily Bread, Hammond.