Deceased July 17, 2019

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In Memory

John Bartlett died July 17, 2019. His service to Amherst and our class was noteworthy. He was our 50th reunion chair, served as class president and held many fundraising roles for the College. He traveled extensively, highlighting, in our reunion book, his “inheriting 15 French lawyers who wouldn’t take orders” following a corporate merger but noting the resultant “fun going to Paris for a week every month.”

Charlie Johnson ’60’s friendship with John “began at the University of Virginia Law School and blossomed in 1962 when we had first dates with our future spouses, who were good friends. We remained close companions, taking 10 trips to the Caribbean supervised by a ‘committee’ system where prizes were awarded for undistinguished behavior. John developed legal counsel services for several companies, including Pan Am, Regal Paper, Fidelity Bank, International Utilities, American Medicorps, Rohrer Pharmaceutical and Corning Glass, after beginning legal practice at Cadwalader. He was ‘the best,’ as he often described others. His devotion to his wife, Barby; his sons David and Jon; his six grandchildren; and his oldest friend John Quisenberry ’60, was total.”

Carlton Russell ’60 wrote, “There was something about ‘Bartlett’ that endeared him: a combination of leaderliness and calmness, humor and gratitude, friendliness and commitment to our class, his family and friends. At a reunion, John responded to something I said by lightly touching my arm, a typical low-key gesture of friendship and appreciation. His people skills were clear to Dick Weisfelder ’60 when John recognized him on a tour in Petra, Jordan. Both Don Pollock ’60 and Sandy Smith ’60 remembered John as the light-hearted mastermind of college pranks. Dave Keffer ’60 recalled Barby’s dismay when John promised to serve as our 50th reunion chairman. But what stood out was John’s view that “the two most powerful words in the English language are ‘thank you.’”

’60 classmates Charlie Johnson, Dave Keffer, Don Pollock, Carlton Russell, Sandy Smith and Dick Weisfelder