Nan Gayle Chambers Bass was born and raised in Velasco, Texas. She was a Seagull and an
Exporter, graduating in 1953. While in school, she was voted Jr. Class Secretary, Sophomore, and Senior Class Favorite and elected to the Student Council. Nan also made her mark on the track. She was a Junior Olympic National Champion in 1952 being "crowned the National Champion 50-yard low hurdler and setting a new record in the women's AAU meet (Freeport Facts). She was known for running barefoot during her hurdle events and then Coach Herbert Hopper said the only way they would ever slow her down would be by making her wear shoes.
Nan is a lady of high moral character and charitable beliefs. She has served her community through thousands of hours of volunteerism with her church, First United Methodist Church of Freeport, from Vacation Bible School, Mission Hope, and serving on multiple committees. Bass also volunteered her time and talents to travel to Alaska on a lengthy mission trip.
Mrs. Bass also chose to serve her city of Freeport by volunteering on various community service committees such as the City Beautification and Parks. While giving her time and effort was, and still is important, Nan always put her family first and foremost. She and her husband Judge Ogden Bass raised 5 children, instilling in them her charitable spirit and drive to excel. Her children have, in turn, continued to serve in their communities, as was so aptly modeled by their mother. All 5 of her children graduated from Brazosport High School and participated in various sports and fine arts programs while carrying on the family tradition of supporting and showing their fighting Exporter spirit!
While raising her children, which Bass considered her most important role, she found other areas to offer her time and expertise. She was active as a room mother to her children’s classes, always a PTA leader, and she continued to strongly support her Exporters by cooking meals for the teams and making yard signs for the different sports teams making the playoffs. Nan always wore her black cat pin when the Exporters played the Bay City Black Cats!
She also was an active supporter of the Freeport Recreation Association and a long-time Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader. She mastered woodwork from framing out a new edition to a friend's house to making a wooden train set for her son for Christmas. Nan Bass became a self-taught skilled carpenter. To this day, she still continues to use her skills to create auction items each year for the FUMC Fish Fry.
In 1974, Nan Gayle Chambers Bass was named Woman of the Year by the Brazosport Chamber of Commerce for her civic dedication to her community. She worked tirelessly as one of the first board members of the Brazoria County Cancer Society and the Beautification of the County through her work in the Garden Club. Nan was a member of the Board of Directors of the Freeport Community Hospital and also a founding volunteer for the Brazosport Cares Food Pantry.
Perhaps Nan Gayle Chambers Bass was not a Senator or a high-powered businesswoman, and she’s never even been a Judge, but she does hold the highest title of them all, the title of Momma!
Mrs. Bass was proudly nominated by her grown children in recognition of her outstanding service, not only to the community and her church but also for her devotion and guidance to her family. Nan Gayle Chambers Bass has set the example for how one should strive to live their life daily. Nan Gayle Chambers Bass has certainly made significant contributions to the Brazosport community through her community service and leadership in the many organizations in which she has served.