William "Kennie" Bass Jr.

To say Kennie Bass was a wordsmith would be an understatement. And throughout his lifetime, he put words to use as well as anyone on a daily basis through his occupation as a television anchor/reporter. Born William Kennie Bass, Jr. on September 1, 1963, he was forever known as "Kennie" or, "KB." He had a presence on local television screens dating back to the 1980s. Kennie had a passion for sports and launched his career by doing high school football reports for various radio stations. He kept his hands in radio for many years even after venturing into television. A kid from Tyler Mountain, Kennie worked hard throughout his life at various restaurants to reach the dream of one day doing sports on television. He was a proud graduate of Nitro High School. From there he was thrilled to gain a journalism degree from Marshall University, another school he truly loved. Kennie started his TV career serving as "Beeper" on "Mr. Cartoon" at WSAZ. From there, he moved into the sports department. After years in sports, Kennie transitioned into news at WCHS-TV and also FOX 11. It is at those two stations where Kennie's talents truly shined. Kennie became an award-winning reporter for the station. He earned several prestigious Murrow Awards for his work. He was also recognized many times by The Associated Press and West Virginia Broadcasters Association. Kennie picked up the AP "Lifetime Achievement Award" and was also an Emmy winner. His highest honor for his years of work on the air was being inducted into the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Kennie was also inducted into Nitro High School's Hall of Achievement. Hard-edge investigative pieces along with heartwarming pieces tell just a small part of Kennie's on-air talents. He was an outstanding anchor, bringing a professional, relaxed flow to the viewer when the red light would go on. Kennie spearheaded election coverage for the station. He knew the races and issues inside and out. He would also lend his talents to "Town Hall" coverage and when it came time to broadcasting Christmas parades, Kennie was at the front and center to help describe the units filling the streets of Charleston and Huntington. In addition, Kennie provided several stories about movies with his "Screen Gems" segment and local theatre with his "On Stage" features. Kennie was truly a movie buff as well as a terrific actor. He appeared in countless plays for area theatre down through the years. One of his best-ever performances was playing Oscar Madison in "The Odd Couple." Kennie travelled not only in West Virginia but into other states to perform in murder mysteries. Besides acting, Kennie had a beautiful musical voice. He was always happy to sing for any event and especially loved doing the national anthem at sporting events. Add it all up and it is safe to say had Kennie chosen to move to California and be an actor he would have flourished at the highest level. Kennie was an avid reader. He was always reading. He had an affection for comic books from a young age and had quite the collection. While he did many things on television, perhaps what he loved the most traced him back to his humble beginnings of talking high school football. Kennie was a co-host of the popular "Friday Night Football Extra" for 25 seasons. Kennie's colorful description of highlights made him the hit of the show each and every week. Kennie was happy to MC banquets. He involved himself many years judging an array of great foods and deserts at various fairs and festivals in the region. He enjoyed food, from the small hometown diners to the elegant, world-class restaurants. Kennie Bass was truly a man of many talents. Most of all, he had a gift for making others laugh and feeling good about themselves. He loved animals to the highest degree. He was never without his share of dogs and cats to enjoy the day. Most importantly, he loved his family and God. Kennie's late parents were the late William Kennie, Sr. Bass and Carol Harper Bass. He is survived by his loving wife, Claire Bass. Kennie was one of three children and is survived by sister, Cathy Bass Hurley and her husband, Joel, brother, Phillip, and his wife, Heather. Other survivors include uncles John David Harper and Bobby Harper (and wife Kathy); aunts Betty Francisco and Nancy Maclean; nephews Ryne Hurley, Jason Bass , Adam Bass, Christopher Bass and Joshua Bass; niece Heather Bass Hartwell; daughter Casey Obryan and husband, Jacob; and grandchildren Jessa and Carter. A visitation will be at the Clay Center Friday evening, October 24, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either the Kanawha County Animal Shelter, Children's Theatre of Charleston or the Charleston Light Opera Guild.

William "Kennie" Bass Jr.

September 1, 1963 - October 21, 2025