Marshall Brent Bass peacefully departed this life on Monday, November 25, 2019. He was born in Goldsboro, N.C. and was the third youngest of eleven children born to Marshall and Estella Bass.

He attended Dillard High School, where he met his late wife, Celestine Pate Bass, and graduated in the class of 1943. Marshall attended Morgan State University, and in his sophomore year, received his draft notice calling him to active military duty. After being sworn into service at Fort Bragg in February 1945, he served 23 years in the U.S. Army, before retiring as a decorated Lt. Colonel. He is a veteran of World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Marshall also commanded the northern-most battalion combat team in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Korea during 1966 and 1967. He served as a military member of the United States Mission to the Republic of Liberia and completed tours of service on four continents; concluding his military career serving at the Pentagon as Chief of U.S. Army Promotions. Marshall holds a Legion of Merit, three Army commendation medals, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge, along with other military decorations and awards. While on leave from the military, on April 8, 1950, Marshall and Celeste, were married in Conway, S.C. Marshall received a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland - College Park.

In 1968, Marshall joined R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, later RJR Nabisco, and after a 23-year career, retired as an elected Senior Vice President in 1991. During his tenure, he was responsible for managing worldwide public and governmental affairs issues for the corporation in over 123 countries around the globe. Marshall was also the former Vice Chairman of the board of directors of Piedmont Federal Savings and Loan Association, former Secretary of the public policy committee of the RJR Nabisco board of directors and was a former board member of RJR Tobacco Company and RJR Nabisco Foundation, Inc. Additionally, Marshall was a former member of the board of directors of N.C. National Bank, Winston-Salem. He was extremely committed to giving back to his community. Marshall founded and was the Chairman of The Marshall B. Bass Children's Fund – a foundation that helps organizations that serve children in Forsyth County. He was the former chairman of the Best Choice Center's Bass Endowment Fund of Winston-Salem, N.C.; a former chairman of the board of trustees of Voorhees College in S.C., a former member of the board of trustees at Winston-Salem State University and a former member of the Hospice Foundation board of directors and of the Foundation board of directors at Forsyth Technical Community College. Marshall has served on several other boards, commissions and organizations at the local, state and national levels.

Marshall holds both a lifetime membership and the Golden Heritage membership in the NAACP. His other memberships include Gamma Kappa Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the Distinguished Service Chapter and Delta Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., the Bachelor Benedicts, Inc., the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. A lifelong member of the Episcopal Church, Marshall was a dedicated member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and served as senior warden of the vestry for many years.

He and Celeste were married for 57 years and are survived by their two daughters, Brenda Bass Roper, MD, who practices pediatric medicine in private practice in Los Angeles, CA and Marsha Bass, MBA, who is co-founder of a commercial real estate firm, MBB Affiliates, LLC, headquartered in Washington, DC. Marshall is survived by his four grandchildren, Ashley Bass-Atwater, Courtney Bass-Atwater, Morgan Bass Roper, and Edward Grant Bass Roper; his nephews, Levi Hamilton of Goldsboro, N.C. and Lamont Hamilton of Wilson, N.C.; and many great-nieces, great-nephews and special friends.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00pm Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, 520 Summit St., in Winston-Salem, NC. There will be visitation with the family on Monday, December 16, 2019 from 5:30pm until 7:30pm at the Russell Funeral Home Chapel, 822 Carl Russell Ave. Winston-Salem, NC. Burial services are expected to be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a date and time to be determined.

The Bass family extends its greatest appreciation to Andre Anthony, Doretha Owens, Alicia Price, Narel Rutherford, Shanna Rivers, Yolanda Rivers, and others. The Bass family thanks them for their professionalism and deep sense of dedication and commitment. The family would also like to extend their sincerest gratitude to the friends, associates, visitors and other members of the community for their immeasurable support during this time.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you join them in making a contribution in Marshall Bass' memory to the Best Choice Center of Winston-Salem, N.C.