Obituary for John Bolar Bartlett
John Bolar Bartlett died March 4, 2023, at The Living Center in Marshall, Missouri. He was 85. John was born on August 22, 1937, to Covey and Pauline Tuck Bartlett, as the youngest of three children in Appleton, Arkansas. John was the valedictorian of his class at Hector High School and went on to study business at Arkansas Technical College. While in college, he served as an elder for the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church. After graduating, he got a job on a surveying team for Hubbell Oil Company and moved to Michigan. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1960, serving most of the time in Fort Lewis, Washington. After he completed his service, he went back to work for the oil company, assigned to Vandalia, Illinois. During that time, he would often drive over to St. Louis on the weekends to visit John and Minnie Loveland, who had moved there from Appleton and were living with their daughters Clara and Floann (Ann) Loveland. As he often told people over the years, he always managed to arrive in St. Louis just about the time Ann Loveland was getting off work and he would just happen to drive by her bus stop and offer her a ride home.
In 1964, he got a job at the national headquarters of F.M. Stamper Company in St. Louis. On Nov. 26, 1964, he married Ann Loveland on Thanksgiving Day at the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He worked at Stampers for the rest of his career, although the company went through different ownership, eventually being purchased by ConAgra. John became office manager at the Macon, Mo. plant and then became plant manager of the Moberly plant. He ended up being plant manager of four plants, each larger than the last. After Moberly, he managed plants in Turlock, Calif.; Marshall, Mo. and Russellville, Ark. – which brought him back to his home county. During his career, John had the reputation of having an open-door policy. When he left Turlock, one of the people who worked for him said he had never known you could run a plant while still being a nice person.
After retiring from ConAgra Frozen Foods in 1993, he volunteered with the AARP to provide free tax services for seniors and low-income taxpayers, which enabled people to file their taxes at no charge. He did this work for 21 years, initially working directly with individuals, but eventually served as the state coordinator for the Tax Aide across Arkansas. He had also served on the Board of Directors for the Sheltered Workshop in Marshall, and Friendship Services in Russellville.
In 2021, he and his wife moved back to Marshall, Mo., to be closer to their son. He was active in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church everywhere he lived. While still in college, he served as an elder of the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church and while in Missouri, he served in many capacities, including youth leader, Sunday School teacher, the clerk of the session, church treasurer, and served terms as moderator of presbytery and moderator of the Missouri Synod.
He was preceded in death by his parents Covey Bartlett and Pauline Tuck Bartlett; his brother James Bartlett, his sister Sue Bartlett and his sister-in-law Clara Loveland, and three brothers-in-law, Skeets Loveland, “Bad Egg” Loveland and Bill Loveland.
He is survived by his wife, his son, John Bradley Bartlett, and Brad’s finance, Stephanie Newberg; his daughter, Beverly Bartlett Turner, of Louisville, Ky. and her husband, Jim. He is also survived by his four grandchildren, Simon Turner, Josey Bartlett, Eli Turner and Brodey Bartlett; and a sister-in-law, Wynona Bartlett.
A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Funeral service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be at the Appleton Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in his honor may be made to the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church or to the Appleton Cemetery, 171 Tate St., Atkins, AR 72823.
Pallbearers are Brodey Bartlett, Josey Bartlett, Buddy Loveland, Leslie Loveland, Johnny Loveland, Jim Turner and Simon Turner and Milton Wright.
Online obituary and condolences are available at www.lemleyfuneral.com.
In 1964, he got a job at the national headquarters of F.M. Stamper Company in St. Louis. On Nov. 26, 1964, he married Ann Loveland on Thanksgiving Day at the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He worked at Stampers for the rest of his career, although the company went through different ownership, eventually being purchased by ConAgra. John became office manager at the Macon, Mo. plant and then became plant manager of the Moberly plant. He ended up being plant manager of four plants, each larger than the last. After Moberly, he managed plants in Turlock, Calif.; Marshall, Mo. and Russellville, Ark. – which brought him back to his home county. During his career, John had the reputation of having an open-door policy. When he left Turlock, one of the people who worked for him said he had never known you could run a plant while still being a nice person.
After retiring from ConAgra Frozen Foods in 1993, he volunteered with the AARP to provide free tax services for seniors and low-income taxpayers, which enabled people to file their taxes at no charge. He did this work for 21 years, initially working directly with individuals, but eventually served as the state coordinator for the Tax Aide across Arkansas. He had also served on the Board of Directors for the Sheltered Workshop in Marshall, and Friendship Services in Russellville.
In 2021, he and his wife moved back to Marshall, Mo., to be closer to their son. He was active in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church everywhere he lived. While still in college, he served as an elder of the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church and while in Missouri, he served in many capacities, including youth leader, Sunday School teacher, the clerk of the session, church treasurer, and served terms as moderator of presbytery and moderator of the Missouri Synod.
He was preceded in death by his parents Covey Bartlett and Pauline Tuck Bartlett; his brother James Bartlett, his sister Sue Bartlett and his sister-in-law Clara Loveland, and three brothers-in-law, Skeets Loveland, “Bad Egg” Loveland and Bill Loveland.
He is survived by his wife, his son, John Bradley Bartlett, and Brad’s finance, Stephanie Newberg; his daughter, Beverly Bartlett Turner, of Louisville, Ky. and her husband, Jim. He is also survived by his four grandchildren, Simon Turner, Josey Bartlett, Eli Turner and Brodey Bartlett; and a sister-in-law, Wynona Bartlett.
A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Funeral service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be at the Appleton Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in his honor may be made to the Appleton Cumberland Presbyterian Church or to the Appleton Cemetery, 171 Tate St., Atkins, AR 72823.
Pallbearers are Brodey Bartlett, Josey Bartlett, Buddy Loveland, Leslie Loveland, Johnny Loveland, Jim Turner and Simon Turner and Milton Wright.
Online obituary and condolences are available at www.lemleyfuneral.com.