Donald "Bart" Bartlett, 80, of Gettysburg, passed away Friday, Feb. 25, 2011, at his home. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 1, at the United Methodist Church in Blunt. Burial will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Blunt. Visitation was from 3-7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 28 at the Luce Funeral Home in Gettysburg. Donald J. Bartlett was born June 9, 1930, at St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre and passed away at home near Gettysburg on Feb. 25. His parents were Amos and Alice (Keyes) Bartlett and he joined his brothers, Robert and Wayne, and sister, Betty. Later, his brothers, Roger and Jack, joined the family. He spent his boyhood at DeGrey, where he started school. His parents moved to a farm in Raber Township where he graduated from the eighth grade at Giddings rural school. "Bart", as he was called by everyone, started working at the Chas Hyde Ranch in 1945 when he was 15-years old. He worked there until 1953. He married Florence Uecker, of DeGrey, on June 2, 1951, and their marriage was blessed with five children, Michael (Mike), Janet, Janice, Nancy and Kirby. In 1953, Bart and Florence left the Hyde Ranch to work at the Earl Sonnenchein Ranch on the Cheyenne River. When Florence's brother-in-law, Sam Hieb, died, they worked for her sister, Marie, for years. From there, they moved to the Schmitz place near Hayes where they had their own ranch. When the Schmitz brothers took over their place, Bart and Florence and family worked for Pierre Williams for several years, then returned to the east side of the river to work at the Bush place near Okobojo. From there they moved to the VE ranch where he was manager for many years. When the ranch sold out, he retired due to ill health to their home at Whitlock Crossing near Gettysburg, where he and Florence processed wild geese and pheasants for hunters in the area. Bart's hard work ethic and his good humor made him popular with all who knew him. His grandchildren were very special to him and he was much loved by friends and family. Ranch work was his lifetime occupation and he loved getting on his saddle horse to work with cattle and horses. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife for more than 60 years, Florence; five children, Mike (Sandy), of Nebraska, Janet, of Blunt, Kirby (Susan), of Kansas, Janice and Nancy, of Gettysburg; grandchildren, Brett, Anita and Bart Bartlett; brother, Jack (Maureen) Bartlett; sister, Betty Sherwood; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Robert, Wayne and Roger. Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Donald's arrangements.
Tuesday, 1Mar2011, Capital Journal