William L. Bass

William Louis Bass returned home to his Heavenly Father on April 1, 2026. Born on January 3, 2008, William was loved and adored by all who knew him.  From the very beginning, William loved working with his hands and being outside. With his first plastic toddler tools, he showed his desire to build and ‘improve’ his natural surroundings. William loved books about the military and would read anything about the history of our past wars, despite his mother’s desire to broaden his literary horizons.  

Drawn to projects involving physical strength and power tools, William recently completed a greenhouse, installed patio pavers, restored the back deck of his home, and spent countless hours weeding and trimming bushes and shrubs with his parents. William knew how to work hard, and he found joy in it. Working at Highland Farm, his favorite ‘tool’ was the skid steer. If the skid steer was needed, William quickly prioritized the task. He expanded a parking lot, cleared trails, and built benches with wood hewn from trees he felled.  When some down-time was needed, William enjoyed the quiet solitude of fishing. At nearby Jordan Lake, or at the beach, William could be found casting his rod again and again and reeling in fish with the same focus and determination he showed when working outdoors.

William was a good friend and treasured his closest friends, Duffy Palmer Jr. and JJ Gugelman, with a fierce loyalty and love. A recent graduate of Seaforth High School, he loved working on his new-to-him truck that cost more to fix than to buy. He meticulously researched and learned what was needed to keep it running, and to get it looking good. William adored his family dogs, Nora and Chloe. When Nora had puppies, William snuggled those tiny bundles with tenderness and found joy in helping them become good family dogs to their future owners.  

William is survived by his parents, Mike and Sherrie, and his sisters, Lydia, Eliza and Ainsley, as well as his grandparents, Ramona Harrell, Nelson Lane, and Beth Taylor, and many aunts, uncles and cousins. William is loved deeply and will be remembered each time a power tool, skid steer, or fishing pole is needed, or when witnessing nature’s majesty.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to this link: https://supporting.afsp.org/campaign/William-L--Bass-Memorial-Fund

Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Bass family.