Lester Bradford Bartlett
1925-2019
Lester Bradford (“Les”) Bartlett of Fredericton,
born in 1925 in St. Stephen, NB, died peacefully on June 12, with two
of his children and two of his grandchildren at his side. He had spent
his final three weeks in the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in
Fredericton, where he charmed the nurses and doctors of DECH SW4 with
his gratitude and good nature. Lester’s family extends warm thanks to
all DECH staff who aided him with attentive, affectionate care as his
health declined.
Lester’s kind, gentle character greatly enriched and will
long continue to enrich the lives of many of his survivors, especially
his wife of nearly 70 years, Marjorie (‘Mardi”), originally a
Wills from Saint John West, and their children: Bruce (Silvana) of
Beirut, Lebanon, Gail McLeod (Bob) of Marysville, NB, Brian (Karen
Dahl) of Halifax, Carol Comeau of Toronto, Andrew Bartlett (Joanne
Horwood) of Vancouver and Mark Bartlett (Sue Hunter) of Toronto; his
older sister Frances Steeves of Moncton, Lois (Stanley) Bartlett of
St. Stephen, and Marilyn and Walter Patterson of Kanata, Ontario; and
his cherished grandchildren, Adrianna, Pippa, Jonathan, Benjamin,
Daniel, Joshua, Laura, Aaron, Joseph, Torben, and Michaela.
He was predeceased by his parents, E. Hollis and Georgie (Lawrence)
Bartlett of Bartletts Mills, Charlotte County, seven brothers and
sisters, and a beloved son-in-law, Michael Comeau of
Toronto.
In 1947 Lester graduated with a BSc from the University of
New Brunswick; a BEd would follow. After working for several years as
a chemist for Fraser’s in Edmundston, NB, he taught Chemistry and
Biology at St. Stephen High and, after moving to Fredericton, Oromocto
High. He became Vice-Principal of the latter, then began a long period
as Director of Curriculum for the NB Department of Education. For many
years Lester was a camera bug and avid photographer, especially of
family occasions. During more than thirty years of retirement he spent
countless hours as a painstaking, thorough genealogist and collector
of Bartlett, Lawrence and Wills ancestral photos. His enthusiastic
labours created a cherished body of family archives as well as
valuable documentation of local history. Over time his memories of
growing up in Bartletts Mills seemed to sharpen rather than fade. He
found joy in many other things–Celtic and country music and hymns,
favourite TV shows, bargain-hunting, extra scoops of ice-cream, and,
above all, trips to visit his children and grandchildren across
Canada, in England and in the United States, and their visits with him
and Mardi. In his retirement, he was a charter member of the Golden
Club and remained active in this group into his late
eighties.
Les met his wife Mardi at Brunswick St. Baptist Church in
1947 and married her two years later. Once they moved to Fredericton
ten years later, the church became a central element in their lives.
For many years, Les served in a variety of roles at Brunswick St. His
Christian faith was deep and abiding. In his final days, he was
overheard spontaneously praying.
The funeral will be held June 19 at 2 p.m. at Brunswick St.
Baptist Church, Fredericton. In lieu of flowers, donations made to the
Brunswick St. Baptist Church Roof Restoration Fund, or a charity of
the donor’s choice, would be appreciated by the family.
Interment will follow at a later date at Oak Bay Cemetery in Charlotte
County, NB.
www.mcadamsfh.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Lester Bradford Bartlett 19252019..
Death notice for the town of: Fredericton, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick