Harry "Skip" Merrill Bartlett

Harry Merrill (Skip) Bartlett, age 90, passed away October 26, 2023.

Harry was born in Bath, Maine on April 10, 1933, to Charles D. and Pearl Moody Bartlett. He was raised in Augusta, Maine, until his father’s service in World War II took the family to Illinois,California, and Washington, DC.
He graduated from Gould Academy, Bethel, Maine, (1951), Norwich University (1955) and received his M. Ed. from the University of Maine (1960).

Skip was a beloved husband, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa, uncle, cousin, and friend. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Lucy Ezzard Bartlett, his daughter Beverly Ann of New York City,his son William Drummond (Lisa) of Tiger, grandsons Ian Bartlett and Liam Bartlett (Jaya),granddaughter Emily Bartlett, and great-grandson Maddox Bartlett.
Skip was an athlete in his younger years and coached football, baseball and basketball when he taught high school. As a teenager, his American Legion Baseball team came in second in the state finals, where he scored a home run in the final game. Skip played first base and was scouted by the Brooklyn Dodgers. His father decided he was going to college instead.
Harry and Lucy met in Germany, where Harry was a member of Colonel Ezzard’s tank battalion. As the only young, single, American woman on the base, Lucy chose Harry out of all the bachelor officers.

Harry taught English and coached football at Sterns High School, Millinocket, Maine, where his daughter Beverly was born. He later taught at North Yarmouth Academy and was principal and English teacher at Deer Isle High School in Deer Isle, Maine, where his son William was born. He then taught English at Hampden Academy and helped found Unity College in Unity, Maine.
Family health concerns took the Bartletts to New Mexico in the mid-60s where he served as the Director of Health Services Education and taught English at Eastern New Mexico University, Roswell Campus. While in Roswell, he also ran a photography studio and worked as a technical writer. He was a freelance photographer and writer, writing many magazine articles which were
accompanied by his photography.

Skip and Lucy returned to Georgia in 1988 where he taught English at Lanier Tech and was a beloved Spanish tutor at Brenau Academy. While at Brenau, he received the Volunteer of the Year Award for providing assistance to the students that went far beyond his duties.

He and Lucy retired to Lucy’s family farm in Tiger, Georgia, where he continued to take beautiful photographs of the birds and landscape, particularly Tiger Mountain, until maculardegeneration took away this ability. He loved the North Georgia mountains, but a big piece of his heart never left Maine, and he always considered it home.

Skip and Lucy celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in 2022. Throughout his life he maintained a keen sense of humor, was an avid fan of college football and the Braves, and enjoyed Lucy’s cooking talents, especially her chicken and dumplings and applesauce. When he was still able, he would load up the car with her lovingly prepared food to deliver to church functions and family gatherings. He loved babies and loved having young children come watch and play with his model trains.

Harry was a member of the Wiley Presbyterian Church family. A service of Celebration and the Resurrection will be held December 29, 2023 at 11:;00 AM at Wiley Presbyterian Church with The Rev. Alice Wood officiating

Skip (and his family) was particularly grateful for the care given by his daughter-in-love, Lisa Sherwood Bartlett and his care-giver Sherrie Crone.

In lieu of flowers or contributions of food, the family requests memorials to Wiley Presbyterian
Church, P.O. Box 178, Wiley, GA. 30581.

Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Georgia, is in charge of the arrangements. If there are any questions, please call 706-782-9599. An online Memorial Register Book is available at www.beckfuneralhome.com.

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