Ronald Earney Bass

ABBEVILLE, ALABAMA...Ronald Earney Bass, a resident of Abbeville, passed away Tuesday evening, September 9, 2025, at his home. He was 89. Ronald's long term request was that there be no formal funeral or memorial service. The family will celebrate Ronald's life by welcoming family and friends in their home on Sunday, October 5, 2025, from 2:00 until 5:00 P.M. Ronald Bass joyfully entered the presence of his Savior, Jesus Christ. He was reunited in Heaven with his oldest grandson, Jack Ham, his loving son-in-law, Levin Ham, as well as his parents, Earnie and Blanch Bass of Live Oak, Florida and his sister, Doris Murray of St. Petersburg, FL. Born July 16, 1936 in Live Oak, Florida, Ronald's life was filled with hard work, stories, and laughter. As a young man, he picked tobacco, worked as a soda jerk, and was a stock boy. Ronald graduated from Suwannee High School in 1954. Upon graduation from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army proudly serving for three years. He often recounted his time in Alaska where he helped build roads before Alaska became a state. Ronald also spent a year in Japan where he learned enough Japanese to keep his family entertained for decades even throughout his journey with dementia. In 1959, while working in Daytona Beach, he met and married Brenda Newman, his devoted wife of 66 years. From 1957 until his retirement in 2003, Ronald worked faithfully in retail management and ownership. In retirement, he embraced life's simple joys: watching boaters from his recliner, fishing, walking the shoreline, delighting his family with his goofiness, and swinging for hours on his beloved porch swing. In his final days, he shared with his family that while swinging he had been talking with Jesus-a reflection of the deep faith that sustained him throughout his life. Ronald will be rememberd as a man of humor, faith, love for family, and stories that will live on in those that knew him best. Ronald is lovingly survived by his wife, Brenda Newman Bass; his daughters, Lori Bass Ham, Dothan; and Brandi Bass Kyles (Shane), Opelika, AL; grandsons, Brett Ham and Ethan Kyles and his "only granddaughter", Victoria Kyles, who held the special title with pride. He is also survived by his siblings, Jeanette Ozbirn, Ft. Walton Beach, FL; Pat Hingson, Live Oak, FL; and Dale Bass, Live Oak, FL; along with many nieces and nephews.