THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE LEGACY
Purpose, dedication, perseverance, and pride of accomplishment have always shaped Mike Bass.
ROOTS
Mike credits his family for helping make him the man he is today. Born in 1945 and raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan, he grew up with purpose, dedication, perseverance, and pride of accomplishment as everyday examples.
This is the family whose encouragement, achievement, and love have shaped Mike’s life on and off the field.
THE FOUNDATION
Thomas Bass, now deceased, graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, and later received a degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. He practiced medicine in Ypsilanti for more than 40 years.
Louise Bass, also deceased, graduated from Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia, and taught school in Ypsilanti for more than 30 years. Her strength, passion, and counsel left a lasting mark on Mike, Ann, and Leah.
WIFE
Mike’s wife, Rosita, is the cornerstone of the Bass family. Their relationship began when they were children in the 1950s and grew into the loving, reliable partnership at the center of their family life.
Her perspective and steady presence have helped guide a family built around care for one another.
THE NEXT GENERATION
Mike’s eldest daughter, Kimberly, is a Furman University graduate with degrees in Psychology and Gender Studies, plus a master’s in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Her work and volunteer efforts focus on helping people thrive.
She volunteers with organizations supporting women as they work to end cycles of poverty, and provides coaching to women and small-business owners. She also enjoys travel, powerlifting, biking, live music, theater, and discovering great food.
Mike’s youngest daughter, Louise Bass Lewis, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Administrative Health from the University of Central Florida. She and her husband, Army veteran Tristan Lewis, share a love of travel, family, friends, and volunteering.
During his service, Tristan deployed to Germany and Afghanistan. He works in computer cybersecurity. Their sons, Cornelious and Jonathan, bring the same enthusiasm for academics and athletics into a new generation.
Cornelious plays football for his high school team. Jonathan plays basketball both for his school during the season and for an Amateur Athletic Union team year-round. Both carry the dedication to sports that their grandfather knows well.
SISTERS
Mike’s sister Ann built an accomplished career in educational administration and teaching, then continued as a consultant to state departments, university lecturer, and grant writer for public and private institutions. Her husband, Richard Berutti, holds master’s degrees in Education and Reading and retired after more than 30 years in education.
Leah Bass-Baylis graduated from Spelman College and built a rich career in theater, dance, education, and school leadership. Her stage work included The Tap Dance Kid, national and international tours, and the 1996 Academy Awards. She later became the first Coordinator of Dance for Los Angeles Unified School District and retired as an LAUSD principal in 2019.
Leah holds graduate degrees in Special Education, Educational Administration, and Educational Leadership. She and husband Doug Baylis, a civil designer and project delivery specialist, have four children and ten grandchildren.
FAMILY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Mike’s nephew Milton graduated from Stanford University, where he was a Pac-10 long jump champion and two-time captain of the track team. After medical school at the University of Michigan, he completed orthopaedic training in New York and Seattle and is an orthopaedic trauma surgeon in Los Angeles.
Milton is married to Erica Allen Little, also a Stanford graduate with a master’s in public policy from the University of Michigan. They have three children.
Mike’s niece Jacqlyn Atkins graduated from Michigan State in Psychology and earned a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has devoted more than a decade to public health and founded Ingenuity for Health, LLC, a consulting firm focused on health equity through innovation.
Jacqlyn is married to Daryl Atkins, a mechanical engineer, and they have two daughters.
Mike’s cousin Carmen Benson served a 30-year career in law enforcement, including as a Special Agent and Field Training Officer Specialist. He is married to Ervenia Glover Benson, an accomplished gospel musician, longtime church music director, and former president of the Hampton University Choir Directors and Organists Guild.
Ervenia’s performance credits include stage, radio, and television appearances at Carnegie Hall, Giants Stadium, Symphony Hall, and Tavern on the Green. Carmen and Ervenia have two adult sons.
“I hope, in revealing my family to you, you will come to appreciate how much my family has made me who I was, who I am, and who I want to be.”MIKE BASS