Donald "Bart" Bartlett

Bart's Tribute Video

Donald “Bart” Bartlett, 80, of Gettysburg, passed away Friday, February 25, 2011 at his home.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at the United Methodist Church, Blunt. Burial will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Blunt. Visitation was held from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., Monday, February 28, 2011 at the Luce Funeral Home, Gettysburg.

Donald Judd (Bart) Bartlett was born June 9, 1930 at home at DeGrey, SD, and passed away at home near Gettysburg, SD on February 25, 2011.  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, SD where he started school.  In 1943 his parents moved to a farm in Raber Township where he graduated from the 8^th 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, SD June 2, 1951 and their marriage was blessed with five children, 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 rented her sister Marie’s place for 5 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 Tug Bush place in Sully County, and from there moved to the VE ranch where he was manager for many  years. When the ranch sold out in 1999, they retired due to ill health to their home at Bob’s Resort near Gettysburg, SD, 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 life time occupation and he loved getting on his saddle horse to work with cattle and horses.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Florence for over 60 years, five children, Mike (Sandy), Bayard, Nebraska, Janet, Blunt, SD, Kirby (Susan). Hays, Kansas, Janice and Nancy at home,  grandchildren Brett, Anita and Bart Bartlett, brother Jack (Maureen) Bartlett and sister Betty Sherwood, and many other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Robert, Wayne and Roger.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Bart’s arrangements.