Mary Helen Bass

To know her is to love her… Mary Helen Bass left her mark on everyone she met. Born March 14, 1977, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, she was a natural conversationalist, encourager and people believer, who drew an audience wherever she went. She was extremely intellectual and had an insatiable curiosity about our world and people from all walks and talks of life. She loved hearing their stories and always encouraged people to be their true authentic selves, as she always was. She put people at ease with her non-judgmental way of looking at the world and her unrivaled ability to relate to others.

 As the many friends she picked up from coast to coast along her life’s journey will attest, Mary Helen was kind, fair and inclusive. She was also very sassy, fun and the life of any party. She was never without that beautiful smile and a cheerful attitude. She had a way of making every person feel as if they were the most special person in the world because she could look deep within them and see their gifts and what made them unique. Mary Helen had a lust for life that was unmatched. She lived her life to the fullest each and every day. She lived big, she loved big and she had big fun.

 She was a powerhouse businesswoman as her husband and business partner, Alex Deli, will tell you. He was the love of her life and the two were inseparable from day one.  They never missed the chance to tell each other why they loved each other so much every single day. They met when they worked at AT&T in Washington D.C. The couple lived in Dallas and Hattiesburg before settling permanently in Bay St. Louis. Mary Helen always loved the beach, so finally getting to live in the Bay with her cousins and a slew of new friends, was a dream come true.

Mary Helen and Alex co-founded Launch Mississippi, a Mississippi Business Incubator for local innovators to bring their new technologies to market. Previously, Mary Helen served as COO of Spartan Mosquito to bring a game-changing product to market. She also worked at AT&T where she held roles in sales, distribution, ecosystem strategy, and business development. Mary Helen held Bachelor of Science degrees in both Human Resource Management and Marketing from the University of South Carolina where she was a member of Tri Delta sorority. She was a passionate member of many philanthropic and mentoring programs throughout her career.

She was preceded in death by her father, Isaac Houston Bass, III, her dear aunt Myrtle Jane Wingo Haas, and beloved dog Dixie.

Her surviving loved ones are her husband, Alex Deli, and their rambunctious puppies, Lola and Ellie. She is also survived by her mother, Susan Finch Bass, and brothers, Isaac Houston Bass, IV, (wife, Sandy), David Carlton Bass (wife, Marci), and James Carl Bass.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews, Kayla Bass Buchan (husband, Jared Buchan), Cara Bass Schlosser (husband, David Schlosser), Houston Stewart Bass (wife, Adriana), Garrison Riley Bass and Amelie Amira Bass; her godson and great-nephew, Warren Charles Schlosser, and great-niece Olivia Faye Buchan.

Mary Helen never missed the chance to lift people up, fight for what was right, stay grounded and strong but positive and sensitive. She loved with all her heart, and always put others first. May we all use this unbelievable loss as a chance to tell HER story every day to help and encourage others, as she always did.  

The family will receive guests from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at Edmond Fahey Funeral Home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. A celebration of Mary Helen’s life will follow at 3:00 pm at the Haas Family Home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, 712 South Beach Blvd. The family welcomes donations to the Our Lady Academy Scholarship Fund.

Edmond Fahey Funeral Home is honored to serve the Bass Family.