Sara Mitchell Bass, known as Sallie, died on June 24, 2015 at her home at Newbury Court in Concord MA. Mrs. Bass, formerly of Cambridge MA was born on July 30, 1936, in Grosse Point MI, the oldest child of W. Ledyard Mitchell Jr. and Josephine Schlotman Mitchell. She leaves behind her two daughters Gay von Henneberg Gillies, husband David, of Jamaica Plain MA, and Antea von Henneberg, husband Andrew Middleton of San Francisco CA, and her adored grandchildren Merrick and Sophia Gillies, Ford and West Middleton who loved her very much. She is also survived by her sisters Debby Bergh of Shelburne VT and Mary Mitchell of Seattle WA, and half-brothers: Trip Mitchell of Salt Lake City UT and Richard Mitchell, wife Maureen Hayes-Mitchell of Cazenovia NY, eight nieces and nephews, the children of her late husband Robert P. Bass and her former husband Jacek von Henneberg of Cambridge MA. That she had survived advanced breast cancer for close to 16 years is a testament to the excellent care she received from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and her strong will and spirit. Sallie was very proud of her education. She attended The Ethel Walkers School and Smith College and was accepted to the Harvard Law School. Sallie was adamant that education was imperative. Her daughters and grandchildren all benefit from the educational infrastructure she set up over the years. After graduation, she moved to Boston, working as a buyer for Filenes and then for Design Research in Cambridge MA. In 1959 she married Jacek von Henneberg. That marriage ended in divorce. In 1988 she married Robert P. Bass, her beloved husband of Peterborough and Concord NH. Sallie and Rob split their time between her dearly loved place in South Dartmouth MA where her garden was listed in the Garden Club of America collection in the Archive of American Gardens at the Smithsonian Institution, and his equally treasured Topside in Peterborough NH, their homes in Cambridge and Concord and Rob's Concordia yawl Madrigal. They travelled extensively from paddling on the Colorado River to visiting centers of art and beauty in Europe. Sallie provided colorful exotic adventures to many over the years from trips, to glorious parties, to pranks on her good friends. Sallie was a stellar pillar in the community. She served on the Cambridge Conservation Commission representing it on the Harvard Square Task Force working on the site of the Kennedy Library. She was instrumental in promoting the Cambridge Inner City Day Camp hosted by Harvard University. She chaired the Board of The Cambridge Community Foundation for many years. She served on the Council of The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, was a Trustee for the Cambridge Savings Bank and a Corporation Member of The Cambridge School. She established the Bass Scholarship for cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. One of her most rewarding roles was as the Special Assistant to the District Attorney for Middlesex County for the Victim Witness program. The family would like to acknowledge the friendship, patience and support over many years of Jane Quincy of Cambridge MA. During her final illness we are grateful to The Visiting Nurse Associates of Boston & Affiliates' Hospice Care and the incomparable care and compassion of everyone at Newbury Court, most especially the Deaconess Homecare staff. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute for Dr. Eric Winer's Research, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th floor, Brookline MA 02445 or to a charity of your choice. A service of remembrance will be held at a later time. Sallie will be remembered for her wit, will and grace. She made people laugh more joyously and think more deeply. She had an avid intellect with an insatiable desire for knowledge and innate curiosity. Reading was a passion and she was surrounded by piles of books and reading material. She reminded us on a regular basis that you will never see a Wells Fargo armored truck in a funeral procession and demonstrated it through her generosity. Her love of flowers was legendary. A woman who embraced Marimekko fabrics, Pucci hot pants and laughing, she brought color, style and grace to every space she entered. For online guest book please visit www.deefuneralhome.com