Betty Passmore BASS

March 26, 1926 - May 20, 2022 Carmel And Indian Wells

Betty Passmore Bass was raised in Chicago at the home of her parents Dempster and Betting Passmore and spent her summers at their house in Wisconsin. She was a Mayflower Descendent via Governor William Bradford and a daughter of the American Revolution. Her advanced education was at California universities, earning a BA at UCLA and a MA at Stanford. She also studied sculpture with Alexander Archipenko in Woodstock, New York.

She met Eric R. Bass in college and in 1948 they married in Hilton Chapel at the University of Chicago. Over the years, the couple traveled extensively in the Far East studying the religions and collecting art of the area. Betty’s Master’s Thesis was on The Art of Tibet. Pieces from her collection are now in Mingei Museum in San Diego.

The couple resided in La Jolla for over 40 years and during that time Betty often chaired benefit events and charity balls for the San Diego Opera and the Symphony. She was honored for her charity work as a San Diego Woman of Dedication.

Many of the gowns she wore at the events are now in the San Diego History Museum’s Costume Council Collection.

Betty was also an avid supporter of animal rights and rescue organizations and was a founding member of FOCAS, Friends of County Animal Shelters in La Jolla. Since living in Carmel, she was a legacy Circle member of POMDR, Peace of Mind Dog Rescue. There wasn’t a time that Betty’s home wasn’t filled with loving four-legged friends.

Betty was a Vegetarian for ethical reasons.

After her husband died in 1996, she left La Jolla and divided her time between her houses in Palm Desert and Carmel. She amassed a collection of abstract art focused on California artists and both her homes were filled with her collection of mid-century furniture.

She belonged to the Legacy Societies of the Palm Springs Art Museum, the Smithsonian and Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. She is remembered at CHOMP by an abstract water sculpture on permanent display.

Betty is survived by her beloved companion, Magic, her Shih Tzu and her many friends.

We would like to thank Dr. Gina Heal for all her dedication and care.