Dylan E. Bass

1993 - 2024

Dylan E Bass

February 4, 1993 - October 20, 2024

Garden Valley, Idaho - Dylan was born at St. Luke's Hospital in Boise, Idaho on February 4,1993. He passed away on October 20, 2024 as a result of an ATV accident.

A Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at Terrace Lakes Resort Pavilion, Garden Valley, Idaho.

Dylan's mom and dad were firefighters, but, being the smart child he was, he wanted none of that. When he was 3 years old, he drug his older sister Shauna and his unwitting parents to Garden Valley, Idaho, where he charmed the lady with the big house for sale by demonstrating his talents of putting on his own jacket. After donning it with a big "TAD DA! ", as only Dylan could exuberantly exclaim, the lady of the house pronounced "SOLD" to the young man and the Bass Family began their wonderful adventure of life in Garden Valley. THEN the mania began. One day while playing in the pasture below the house, DyIan found a golf ball. He'd never seen anything like it, as none of the family were golfers (although they had joined Terrace Lakes Golf Resort as members so the kids could learn to swim, and his parents could drink beer in the pool on Friday nights!). Apparently, the lone ball had travelled from Warm Springs Creek, which borders Terrace Lakes, and found its way through the irrigation ditches to the pasture. He asked his dad about what kind of ball it was. Dylan had no understanding of anything that could not be swatted in the air with a plastic baseball bat, so Jeff took Dylan's little plastic baseball bat and attempted an on-the-ground golf swing to show him how it was "supposed" to be done. Dylan was hooked, as more of the "alien" balls continued to show up in the pasture.

Finding those random balls became an obsession for Dylan. Every waking moment became a search for golf balls. The search range increased from the pasture to the out-of-bounds of the golf course. Every night, every weekend, the family activity was the golf ball search. The house, the barn, the garageall overtaken by golf balls. And so, Dylan began his first career at the tender age of 7 finding balls, then heading up to Terrace Lakes to sell them back to the folks that had lost them.

But, then the time came that selling balls led to actually wanting to USE them. Dylan would peddle his bicycle up to Terrace with his bag of his prized small kid clubs and just WAIT. WAIT for someone to take him out on the course! Andthey camethose wonderful members that took the young boy out on the course to help him learn not only about golf, but about a lot of other life things!

He was addicted. He played with the folks that were so kind to take him every day.

His next career move was an easy pick. He set his sights on working at Terrace Lakes and he finally found a chance.

Dylan was still too young to be hired, but he was determined. He saw his chance when one of the young ball boy/pickers didn't want to come to work all the time, so, he "sub-contracted" to Dylan at the young age of 10, to do the picking work. After many weeks of picking balls, Brent (the pro at the time) came out and asked Dylan "Who the heck are YOU, and why are you picking the balls?" Dylan explained that he had been hired by the un-named "Real" picker Brent just laughed and said that it was crazy that he was doing the ball picking job at a cut rate and hired him on the spot with full pay. Finally, he nailed his first goal a REAL JOB at Terrace Lakes.

And yet, Dylan was restless he needed more -- he coveted wanting to work the course for Destry Jones, the Superintendent, where he could run the BIG equipment. The time finally came and armed with his newly minted driver's license he joined the grounds crew - a spot he continued to hold as time permitted clear up through this year.

It was about this time Dylan got the notion of wanting to make the Golf experience his life/professional goal. He was preparing for his next chance to spread his wings.

His years of school in his small Valley were some of the best. He made lifelong friends of not only his peers, but their parents he continued to thrive in the "village" that raised him. He felt so blessed to live and grow in his beautiful mountain home. Excelling in football, basketball and golf- he loved being part of the team.

Yet again, Dylan wanted more, so he found time for anything outdoors. His Smokejumper dad introduced him to the skills of hunting and fishing every fall when the fire season ended and the Bass Family was able to make their annual two week trip to Deadwood in the heart of the Central Idaho mountains. This was the place that he looked forward to going every year. He and his sister Shauna would diligently complete their school homework by the light of a lantern and then head out for their sibling fishing competitions. Even Shauna will attest Dylan was always the winnerand, of course, he relished letting everyone know.

One of the big wins he knocked down as his high school career was coming to an end was his selection as Idaho's top high school volunteer. Dylan packed up his mom and dad, learned to tie a necktie, donned a suit coat and headed to Washington DC to meet the other state winners where he accepted his award on the big stage at the Smithsonian. During the trip he was able to visit his Great Grandfather's resting place in Arlington, and was also honored to perform with the Old Guard in the awe-inspiring ceremony of placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

It was time. Dylan was ready to fly again. He spread his wings and headed north to Vandal Country. The University of Idaho was beckoning with a chance for him to meet his next goal: to become a PGA Golf Pro. At the U of I Dylan found not only the profession he started toward after finding that first golf ball, but he found even more. He found the friends that were his tribe and that he would be part of forevermore. He was living his best life, but as bittersweet as it was, Graduation happened. Dylan knew it was time to fly again.

Dylan returned home to his beloved Garden Valley and his second home at Terrace Lakes to become the Head Golf Pro. He was so proud, as we all were.

But as life always changes, he found a new way to spread his wings and talents, when Tory Nichols came calling and challenged him to use his business degree by becoming a manager at Walmart. Dylan thought: Why not? He bought a house, began his corporate career and still found the time to feed one of his all-time loves, the love of basketball.

Joel LaFleur was the head coach of the Boys Basketball team that year. Best of all, it was the team in Garden Valley and Joel asked Dylan to be his assistant. Dylan said "heck yeah!" and began juggling his managerial paying job with the non-paying one he loved doing with his boys. It was during this run toward the state championship that Joel (who, was not only the coach, but a Captain for Southwest Airlines) opened another door for Dylan. Joel asked, "Do you want to be a pilot?" Without hesitation, Dylan saw that this was his REAL chance to fly.

He put his driven personality to work. Sold his house, to finance his flight school and moved to Ogden to start on his next goal. Hours and hours he focused, learned and passed.

Then came the rigors of becoming a flight instructor. Dylan saw that in this role, he wasn't spreading his wings and doing the flying. Nope. THEY were his students, and they all seemed to be trying to kill him. He knew he had to suck it up and keep moving forward with that positive attitude he had honed during his 30 years.

It worked. Dylan proudly got his wings as a first officer for SkyWest airlines. He had found it. His best life. He was living it and was loving everything in this last year.

He would fly. He would come home to Garden Valley. He would hang with his best friends. He would golf. He would spend many hours not only helping his mom, dad and sister but giving them his love and friendship.

He packed a lifetime and a half into his 31 years given to him on this earth. And then, Dylan saw it was time to Spread His Wings again.

Fly, Dylan, Fly. We will see you on the other side of the clouds.

We are so profoundly proud and grateful to have had you as our own.

He is survived and will always be loved by his Father, Jeff Bass; Mother, Linda Bellmer Bass; and Sister, Shauna Bass, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

In Lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate any charitable contributions be made in Dylan's name to the Terrace Lakes Men's Golf Association c/o Linda Bass 350 Middlefork Rd Garden Valley, ID 83622. Plans are to set up an annual "Bass Ball Buster Tournament" to help fund scholarships for the students of Garden Valley. He would have loved the name, and the chance to support the kids in our village the way he was always so supported.