Gene Bass

Clarence William “Gene” Bass Jr., age 73 died in a car accident on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.  He will be cremated and a Celebration of Life will be 11:00 am Monday, August 15, 2022 at Ankeny Baptist Church (2842 SW Third Street Pl., Ankeny, IA  50021). The family will greet friends from 9:00 to 11:00 am.

Gene’s service will be streamed at https://livestream.com/ankenybaptist/events/10580189

Gene was born October 7, 1948 to Clarence William Gene Sr. and Barbara (Meusburger) Bass.  He was raised in “Dogpatch” Johnston, IA and graduated from Johnston High School in 1967.  From the time he was young, Gene helped his dad with furnace and air conditioning jobs.  He learned to hunt and fish in the backwoods of Booneville.  He loved working on cars and motorcycles.  He was proud to be the first graduating class of “Area 11” now DMACC in the Tool and Die Program.  After graduation, Gene joined the National Guard and graduated with honors at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. 

Gene was gifted in math and his mechanical mind allowed him to make all sorts of tools and bolts to fix and fabricate pieces for guns, knives, bicycles and basically anything. He loved bicycles and built each of his children’s first bikes and in later years, recumbent bikes.  He enjoyed many different trips riding on trails all over the USA.

Gene worked as a maintenance machinist at Meredith Printing then bought by RR Donnelly for 15 years.  He later worked for the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union. Gene enjoyed his retirement by working on bikes at Kyle’s Bikes and the Bike Barn in Ogden.  Gene had friends all over the state of Iowa and didn’t know a stranger. 

In 2010, he moved to Ogden, Iowa and shortly after suffered a stroke. He found a community who looked out for him and friends who cared, many of whom attend Ogden Baptist Church.

His children and grandchildren are Gene’s proudest accomplishment. He adored them. He enjoyed going to their events and spending as much time with them as possible.

Gene is survived by his three children; Sarah (Chad) Aspengren, Jessica (Abe) Miller, Zachary (Jessica) Bass, eleven grandchildren: Bryce, Grant and Cole Aspengren, Isaac, Claire, Madalyn, Zeke and Lucy Miller, Brynlee, Jase and Weston Bass, brother; John (Diane) Bass, sister; Barb Jones. Sister in laws; Cindy Bass, Barbara Bass and many nieces and nephews and close friends who were like brothers.

In death he rejoins his parents, Clarence Bass and Barbara Riccio, brothers, Larry Bass and Ben Bass.

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