Worked in garment industry, William Bass was 100

William Bass, a 65-year Woodmere resident, died on July 26, just six weeks shy of his 101st birthday.

Born in Brooklyn on Sept. 10, 1912 to Russian immigrants, Bass graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School before he began working in the garment industry, where he would spend almost 63 years of his life.

During World War II, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942, and served until 1946 as a staff sergeant in charge of organization and distribution of uniforms and supplies. Bass was stationed in Japan, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.

Bass met his wife Bette in 1946 at Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel. “He had just returned from the war and didn’t have civilian clothes,” said Bass’ daughter Dr. Sherry J. Bass. “He was still in uniform when he met my mom.”

The couple was married on Oct. 19, 1947 and had three daughters. Bette, the owner of Bette Bass Boutique on Irving Place in Woodmere, died in 2011.

According to Sherry, her father had a great sense of humor and was always telling jokes. “He was best known for his integrity, generosity and good nature that endeared him to many,” she said. “His favorite joke was, ‘this cop stopped a kid for speeding and said to the kid, ‘I’ve been waiting for you all day.’ The kid said, ‘well I got here as fast as I could!’”

Services conducted by Rabbi Bruce Ginsburg of Congregation Sons of Israel in Woodmere were held graveside at Beth Moses Cemetery on July 28. Arrangements were made by Boulevard-Riverside Chapel in Hewlett.

In addition to Sherry, Bass is survived by his children Carol and Robert Gursky, Patti and Bruce Siegel and grandchildren Adam, Mara and Michele Gursky, and Keith Siegel.