ASHLEY TERRY
Iva Bass may not be an official queen, but she was certainly treated like one during her 100th birthday celebration at Azle Manor Health Care & Rehabilitation Aug. 21.
Complete with purple decorations, a “100th birthday” sash, a two-tier “Happy 100th” cake and oversized golden number balloons to mark the occasion, Bass’ birthday celebration was fit for a queen. The royal treatment continued as Azle Mayor Randa Goode presented Bass with a proclamation declaring Aug. 22, 2026, Iva Bass Day in the city of Azle.
While purple isn’t Bass’ favorite color, her oldest grandchild Bobby Stults said the purple theme was intentional, as the color was historically a symbol of royalty and wealth.
“Back in the old days, purple was the color of royalty,” Stults said. “It’s her 100th birthday and she’s kind of the queen, so we put her in purple.”
Bass — who officially turned 100 Aug. 22 — is a longtime and highly respected resident of the community.
She first moved to Parker County in 1949 and dedicated much of her professional life to caring for others, working as a nurse aide in Weatherford at Campbell Memorial Hospital — now known as Medical City Weatherford — as well as at nursing homes throughout the area.
“She has a servant’s heart,” Stults said. “She's always wanting to help people. Any money she ever had, she gave away.”
Throughout her long and remarkable life, Bass has exemplified strong devotion to her family, raising one daughter and two sons, and being blessed with a total of 31 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
“She’s all about family,” Stults said. “Anytime we (celebrated) Christmas, it was usually always at her house until we got to be older. It was a little bitty house, maybe 900 square feet, but she wanted everybody there. That was her — faith and family.”
The daughter of a minister, Bass has maintained a lifelong devotion to God and has been a longtime member of Calvary Assembly of God — something Stults believes has helped carry her through an entire century of life.
“For the most part, her faith — I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” Stults said when asked what he believes has contributed to Bass’ longevity. “Also, just the fact that we didn't eat out much growing up. Most of the stuff that we ate came out of her garden.”
Stults said Bass always shared her time, talents and traditions through her love of gardening and canning vegetables for her family.
“She would buy meat, but just about everything else — the fruit, the vegetables and all that — came out of her garden,” he explained. “She had a storm cellar, and she had shelves built into it, so she would can everything and then take it down there, so it stayed cool. All through the winter, that's what we would eat.”
Bass’ granddaughter Melissa Simmons said she can always remember Bass being in that “grandma mode,” as they made cookies, candy and even ceramics together when she was growing up.
“When you think of what the picture of a grandmother is, like if you could see a textbook grandmother, that’s exactly who she’s always been,” Simmons said. “She is the grandmother that everybody would always aspire to be.”
Simmons said her grandmother has her feisty moments but that she also has a good sense of humor and will do whatever she can to help someone in need.
“She’s very caring,” she said. “She would do anything in the world for anybody; she’s just amazing.”
Bass’ century of life represents a remarkable legacy of service, faith, family, love and perseverance — even through many of life’s trials and tribulations.
“She just keeps on,” Stults said. “Been a couple times I didn't think we'd have her very long. She tested positive for COVID three times … she’s had pneumonia and she's had the flu a couple times — but she just keeps on going.”
While Bass has outlived all three of her children, Simmons said she was extremely proud of her grandmother for reaching such a rare milestone.
“Last year, we were asking her how she was feeling and she said she was going to make it to 100,” Simmons said. “She was like, ‘I’m going to make it, no matter if I make it past it, I’m going to make it to 100.’ I knew she would.”
