Rebecca Fordham Bass

Rebecca—Becky to family and friends and BB to her grandkids—was a selfless, caring, and hard-working woman who valued family, learning, and education… and she advocated strongly for children to learn how to swim! She loved reading, working in her yard, and giving of herself to see others happy.

Becky grew up in Trickum Valley, AL, near Heflin, as the oldest of four siblings (Sue, Donnie, and Mike) born to Jay Hugh and Agnes Fordham. Surrounded by family in Trickum, she was especially close to her cousin Linda Fordham Cox. After graduating from Ranburne High School, she became the first of her family to attend college, earning her degree and nursing certification from the University of Alabama. While working as a Registered Nurse at UAB, she met a young physician named John Bass. Becky and John married in 1971 and moved to Mobile in 1974 where they bought the only house they would ever own and built a life together until John’s death in 2017. Becky and John raised their children, John (Jay) and Anna, in this house, hosted countless gatherings for family and friends, and built their own library where they could share their love of reading and where she could read about anything she could imagine.

Becky had a giving spirit, as anyone who knew her would attest to. She was famous among her kids’ college roommates, grandkids, and her daughter’s swim teams for her care packages, which she often sent connected to holidays—even minor ones! Her giving spirit went beyond care packages, and everyone who knew her has a story of her selflessness.

Becky loved her family and friends. She and her mother talked every night, and she made it a point to keep up with everyone in her life with her trusty flip phone, especially her dear friends Melodie Robinson, Sharon Hancock, and Claudie Kemp. She also loved being BB to her grandchildren Ella and Nate. She would spend countless hours entertaining even their silliest requests, and never tired of giving of herself to make them happy and seeing them grow and mature. Most of all, she loved her husband John, and the greatest blessing is that they are together again.

Becky’s career began as a nurse, and even though her path led her away from the profession, she carried the spirit of nursing throughout her life. She valued knowledge, cared deeply for others, and was always there when someone needed her. She will be missed terribly, but her caring spirit will live on through family, friends, and all those who loved her.