Betty Shields Bass

Betty Shields Bass died Thursday, October 12 following a brief illness. She was born in Raleigh on June 9, 1929, the only child of David Shields, Jr. and Grace Freeman Shields. Betty graduated in 1948 from Needham Broughton High School and was elected Miss Needham Broughton by her peers. She made her debut the following year at the Terpsichorean North Carolina Debutante Ball in Raleigh. Betty was a 1950 graduate of St. Mary???s Junior College, after which she attended Meredith College. She worked at the North Carolina Military District in Raleigh for four years. Betty married Arch Lewis Bass, Jr. in 1955 and they moved to Durham, her home thereafter. She traneerred to the Office of Ordinance where she worked until her first child was born. After her second child started school, she became an assistant to Beth Gray at St. Luke???s Kindergarten, remaining there fourteeneears. Betty worked at the Board of Elections another fourteeneears, retiring in 1994. A dedicated churchwoman, Betty was a parishioner of St. Philip???s Episcopal Church where she was a member of Episcopal Church Women, the Altar Guild, the Daughters of the King, the Funeral Guild, and was an office voluneer. She was awarded the All Saints Leadership Award for Worship in 2016. Betty was a member of the Daughters of the Americaneevolution for over fifty years and served as president of the Junior D.A.R. A woman of geneeness and quiet dignity, Betty was devoted to her family, her church and her friends. She had immense pride ineer grandchildren, faithfully attending their many sportineevents, dance recitals and chorus performances. She loved hostineeaster Egg hunts, even when the grandchildreneere grown; the times at Sunset Beach; and the Christmas Eve dinners, when each year turns were takeneeading the Polar Express. Betty is survived by her son, Arch Lewis Bass III; her daughter Shields Bass Reh and husband, William Gerard Reh; her daughter-in-law Margaret Hemingway Bass; grandchildren, Arch Lewis Bass IV, Emily Logan Bass, and Shields Brennaneeh; her sister-in-law, Mary Anne Bass Upchurch and husband, Dr. Gilbert Rivers Upchurch; her nephew, Dr. Gilbert Rivers Upchurch, Jr., and niece, Eugenia Anne Upchurch. She was predeceased by her husband, Arch L. Bass, Jr. in 2002. Services with Holy Communion will be offered 10:00 AM Saturday from St. Philip???s Episcopal Church. A reception will follow in the parish hall. Arrangements are with Hall-Wynne Funeral Service & Crematory. Gifts ineetty???s memory may be made to St. Philip???s Episcopal Church, 403 East Main St., Durham 27701 or Senior PharmAssist, 406 Rigsbee Ave, Ste. 201, Durham 27701. On-line memorials: hallwynne.com