Theresa Renee Bass

Theresa Renee Bass, a devoted family woman and significant grassroots leader in Kennett Square, died unexpectedly in her sleep at her home in the Historic East Linden Neighborhood on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2022.

Born in Ashe County, North Carolina, Theresa came to Kennett Square in 1959, eventually moving with her six siblings to a historic home at the heart of the Borough in 1971. Her mother, Ophelia Bass, was the rock of the family, and Theresa was devoted to her, caring for her at home through a long illness.

As a young child, Theresa helped support her hard-working mother by caring for her younger siblings, and she never wavered in her dedication to her brothers and sisters: Harold Creon Bass and Avery Allan Bass, who predeceased her, and Grayling Bass, Drusilla Butler, Michael Bass, and Lesia Bass, all of New Castle County, Delaware. She and her siblings, along with her life-long friend Barbara Williams, led legendary social lives as part of a tight-knit, small-town community. Theresa was a 1976 graduate of Kennett High School.

Theresa, called Sissy by family, purchased a home near her mother and worked long hours as a machinist while raising her own children, Jermaine A. Bass, LaToya M. Myers, and Tara N. Irons. After an on-the-job accident, Theresa devoted herself entirely to community leadership and to helping to raise her grandchildren, who were her light and her hope: Payton Ophelia Corp, Taliyah Renee (Ren) Irons, and Ariella Nicole Irons. 

Theresa was also trustee of Bethel AME Church in Kennett Square, and participated actively in many community groups, from Playback Theater to Bridging the Community. Other interests included drawing and painting, local history, gardening, word searches, and fast cars. She had encyclopedic knowledge of the region’s African-American families and the relationships between them, and found many ways to lend a personal helping hand whenever she could.

As a community organizer, Theresa’s innovative spirit and commitment to action were remarkably effective. Determined to stay when homes began to fall into disrepair and levels of street violence rose, Theresa brought neighbors and allies together to focus energy on the needs of children, and she was tireless in her efforts to provide meals, academic help, social activities, coats, holiday gifts, and constant personal support to children and youth. She pioneered a humane approach to discouraging adverse street life in partnership with three successive police chiefs, relying on direct communication and encouraging personal relationships to win the peace.

The founder and leader of the Joseph & Sarah Carter Community Development Corporation, Theresa and the social movement she inspired profoundly improved the Historic East Linden Neighborhood, the Borough of Kennett Square, and the region. Her particular commitments to supporting immigrant families, making connections across social boundaries, and investing in humanity were transformative; these were rooted in her deep faith, and Theresa’s tireless service was shaped directly by a deeply prayerful devotion to the Lord. She had many friends across the region; she was powerfully influential in local government; and she was a vital, positive force in the lives of generations of children and young people.
In addition to her siblings, children, and grandchildren, Theresa is survived by her siblings’ spouses and their children: Harold’s son Jaheem; Grayling’s spouse Donna and their son Curtis; Drusilla’s husband Barry Butler and their son Aaron; and Michael’s wife Lisa and their children Sharí, Ashley, and Malcolm. She is also survived by her uncle, George McMillan. Her father, Isaac Cox Bass, predeceased her.

A service of remembrance will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Advent 401 N Union Street, Kennett Square on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 11:00 AM, with viewing beginning at 9:00 AM. Burial at Union Hill Cemetery will follow.

A recorded conversation with Theresa Bass about her life and activism is available in the StoryCorps archive at https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/theresa-bass-and-ethan-cramer/

Flowers may be sent to church on the day of the service.  The flower theme colors are red and white. Flowers can be ordered from Zena Florist https://zenaflorist.com/

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Theresa Renee Bass, please visit our floral store.