John Elliott Bass of Iola died Monday, September 5, 2011, peacefully at home. John was born in Iola on February 26, 1924, the oldest of two sons born to John Samuel and Edithe Elliott Bass. He attended Iola schools before joining the United States Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Following training at Fort Riley, Kansas, and Camp Lockett in Campo, California, he was a radio operator in the famous 10th Cavalry, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers, serving in North Africa, Italy, and France. After his discharge from the Army, he returned to Iola and worked for Lehigh Portland Cement until it closed in the early seventies. Later employment included Country Lanes Bowling and the Iola Housing Authority. In 1947, John married Rosemary I. Whitfield of Newton, Kansas. To their union were born three children: Jennifer Diane, John Arthur, and Jay Andrew. John loved sports. He played basketball for the Iola Green Dragons, coached junior bowling, and umpired youth softball and baseball games for several decades. He was an avid bowler and organized bowling teams for tournaments from Reno to Springfield. A favorite annual activity was attending the KU relays. John and his brother Wendell also enjoyed trips to the NAIA basketball playoffs. In his later years, John proudly earned medals and tee-shirts in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. John was preceded in death by his brother, Wendell Maurice, his son John, and his son-in-law Herman McKenzie. Survivors include: his wife of 64 years: Rosemary; children Jennifer and Jay, daughters-in-laws Dionne & Barbara; four absolutely perfect grandchildren, Keesha (Corey) Ball, John Silas, Emily Rose and Madeline Jaye; Sisters-in-law Phyliss Bass and Peggy (George) Day; a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. Cremation has taken place. A private family interment will be in Highland Cemetery, Iola, at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations to Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church. MEMORIAL SERVICE: 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 10, 2011, at Wesley United Methodist Church in Iola, with military honors. Memorial gifts may be left with the Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences for the family may be left on this website, www.iolafuneral.com.