Albert J. Bazis

Albert J. Bazis was born on March 3, 1941, in Omaha, Nebraska, the only child of Albert and Catherine Bazis. Though he grew up without siblings, Al was never alone; he lived next door to his beloved Gramps and Grandma, and the two households functioned as one. Some of his happiest early memories were of troll fishing with his Gramps along the banks of the Platte River, where he learned patience, the art of tall tales, and the quiet joy of spending a day outdoors with someone who loved him. An athlete from a young age, he embraced baseball, softball, and basketball. He later took up golf, gripping the club like a baseball bat and driving the ball straight down the fairway until a partner pointed out his unorthodox form. Al was also an avid cyclist and shared with his wife Joyce a deep love of tennis, approaching the court with the same competitive spirit and easy partnership that marked their life together.

In January 1959, Al met Joyce Caniglia at a dance. From that night on, his life was inseparable from hers. Their first date was March 27, 1959, and they married on June 16, 1962, beginning a loving partnership that lasted more than 63 years. They honeymooned in Hawaii, a place they returned to throughout their lives. Between 1963 and 1969, they welcomed five children, who in time gave them 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. In a blessing the family will always cherish, Al was able to meet his great-granddaughter in the final week of his life.

Al graduated second in his class from Creighton University in 1963 and built a distinguished career in accounting and auditing that spanned more than five decades. He began at Arthur Andersen before joining The Associates in 1972, which moved the family from Omaha to South Bend, Indiana. In 1976, the company relocated to the Dallas area, and Al and Joyce settled in Plano, Texas. He retired in 1999 but returned in 2001 as Audit Director at Dallas Area Rapid Transit, serving with characteristic rigor and good humor until his final retirement in 2019.

Al loved loading the family into the car and heading out on the open road. Early camping trips in a tent, later upgraded to a pop-up trailer, created cherished memories and family legends. Around the campfire, he became a masterful storyteller, holding children and adults spellbound. As the family grew, he and Joyce built a lake house that became the heart of the Bazis clan. There Al was at his happiest—grilling for cookouts, piloting the boat, and delighting grandchildren by whipping across the water to create what they called the “angry seas,” launching rafts of laughing children into the air with pure joy.

Al Bazis lived a full and vibrant life as a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, gifted storyteller, and dedicated professional. He is survived by his wife of more than 63 years, Joyce Bazis; children Mark Bazis and wife Donna, Patrice Ford and husband Michael, Gary Bazis and wife Missy, Steven Bazis and wife Pam, and Suzanne Ripple and husband Andrew; grandchildren Kristian Ford and wife Kelsey, Trenton Bazis and wife Lisa, Skyler Hood, Graham Ford and wife Kelsey, Ashley Shea and husband Kerry, Alec Hood and wife Shelby, Connor Bazis, Cameron Bazis, Trevor Bazis and wife Sophie, Haley Bazis, Benjamin Ford, Paxton Ripple, and Brianna Ford; and great-granddaughter Lennon Hood.