Garrey Bass

Garrey Lee Bass, "The Toughest Cowboy in the County", was born on July 1, 1946, in Merced, California to Charlie Sam Bass and Ruby Laverne (Winchester) Broxson. Heaven just gained one heck of a cowboy. Garry was known to most as Daddy, Papa, or "that stubborn ol' cuss" - hung up his hat and rode off into the sunset on Sunday, October 5, 2025. He went out the same way he lived - tough as nails, full of grit, and probably cracking one last joke just to make sure everyone around him smiled through their tears. He was 79 years old.
Born with dust on his boots and fire in his heart, he could outwork, outlaugh, and out stubborn anyone within a hundred miles. His hands told the story of a life spent working hard and loving harder - roping cattle, teaching kids to ride, building fences that somehow lasted longer than most folks' patience, and holding the people he loved tighter than a bull rope. Throughout his lifetime, Garrey shared his journey with Rhonda Angel and Brenda Bass, proving he was a man of patience and optimism.
Garrey was a man of faith and was a member of Faith Assembly in Peggs, Oklahoma, where he also played on the church softball team, and a member of Life Tabernacle in Locust Grove. Garry spent most of his life in the Peggs area, where he worked hard and built a reputation as a dependable, tough, and straightforward man. He started out as a truck driver, then found his true calling as a foreman for Becco Construction Company, where he worked for years and retired with pride in 1999. But retirement didn't sit well with him - sitting still just wasn't his way. Before long, he was back at it, working for Jerry Rush at Sycamore Springs Ranch, There, he did just about everything - caring for exotic animals, guiding hunts and trail rides, managing arena events, and even judging high school rodeos. During his time there, he had the chance to meet Tracy Byrd and Hank Williams Jr., which he always enjoyed talking about. Garrey also ran the mechanical bull and managed the exotic animals. He loved every bit of it - the dirt, the laughter, the people, and the challenge.
His passion for rodeo ran deep. He judged them, worked them, and hauled his girls all over creation to compete in them. Whether it was the roar of the crowd, the smell of the arena dirt, or watching his girls climb into the chute, that was his happy place. He lived and breathed that cowboy life - so much so that he was even featured in Mules and More magazine, a testament to the kind of man whose way with animals, humor, and heart could fill any arena or page. He believed in hard work, respect, and doing things the right way - even if it meant learning the hard way. He disciplined with a firm hand and didn't sugarcoat a thing, but he was always the first to point out what you did right. If you earned his praise, you knew you'd truly done something worth being proud of. That's how he built people - with honesty, grit, and love that ran deep as a well.
He was also the king of one-liners and quick wit. His famous sayings will echo forever - "Can't died and couldn't got that butt busted until he could," and, when times got tough, "I've had worse on my lips and still kept whistlin'." You never knew if he was giving advice or just trying to make you laugh - probably both.
He leaves behind a family that adored him beyond words - kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids who will forever carry his humor, his grit, and maybe even his colorful vocabulary. He wasn't just our rock; he was our comic relief, our teacher, and our reminder that life's too short to take too seriously. We'll miss the sound of his boots on the porch, the sparkle in his eye when a joke landed, and the warmth of those rough, hardworking hands. But we know he's up there now - probably telling St. Peter how to properly saddle a horse, fixing Heaven's fences, judging the rodeo, and whistling like nothing ever hurt.
So here's to our cowboy - our Daddy, our Papa, our legend. The man, the myth, the mustache. The one who taught us how to hold on tight, laugh when we fall off, and never say "can't." Ride easy, cowboy. We'll see you again down the trail.
Garrey is survived by: 5 children: Terri Carney and husband Tim of Chouteau, Oklahoma, Tammy Carte and husband Mike of Locust Grove, Oklahoma, Jeremy Bass and Melanie of Bixby, Oklahoma, Michelle Jones and husband Tate of Disney, Oklahoma, and Skeeter Williams and husband Luke of Peggs, Oklahoma; 20 grandchildren; 30 great grandchildren; 4 Siblings: Carolyn Hayter and husband David of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Robert Bass and wife Shelly of Scio, Oregon, Steven Bass of Ontario, Oregon, Carl Bass of Bakersfield, California; His Step-Mom: Bobbe Bass of Scio, Oregon; An acquired extra: Jesseka Thrash, who refused to be ignored until Garrey had no choice but to love her. And a bonus wife: Denise "Mouse" Thrash. Numerous other relatives and a host of friends.
Garrey was preceded in death by: his parents; 1 son: John Bass; 3 Sister: Darlene Gwartney, Jodie Lewis and Karen Phelps; 1 brother: Charlie Bass; 1 infant daughter: Janette Bass; and 1 infant grandson: Jackson Peace.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M., Saturday, October 11, 2025, at the Exciting Southeast Baptist Church at Sportsman Acres, in Pryor, Oklahoma. Brother Robert Hayter and Cliff Warford will officiate. Interment will follow at the New Home Cemetery in Peggs, Oklahoma. Services are entrusted to Locust Grove Funeral Home. Memories, condolences, and tributes may be shared at www.locustgrovefuneralhome.com.