Sylvia Johnston Bartay

Sylvia Johnston Bartay

After a lovely Friday afternoon spent with friends, Sylvia Johnston Bartay died early in the morning on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at Fairway View Neighborhoods in Ortonville, Minnesota. She is survived by her sister, Lizbeth Johnston Anderson and brother-in-law, Bishop Craig B. Anderson, many nieces and nephews: Catherine J. Roberts, James Johnston, Lynne Johnston, Ann J. Lauer, Court Anderson, Megan Anderson, Ragnar Anderson and Andrew O'Reilly. Predeceasing her were her parents, her brother, William Johnston, and her husband, Robert Bartay. Sylvia was born in Lamar, Colorado to Jesse and Bernice Johnston on November 19, 1931. After graduating from Stephen's College in Columbia, Missouri, she began her business career in Casper, Wyoming, saving enough to travel to France and Switzerland, where she learned to ski. Upon her return to the U.S., she moved to San Francisco, and later to Denver. Her nieces and nephews were in Houston, so she jumped at the chance to work at the Houston Chronicle. She married Robert Bartay in 1962, and then began a new career in financial planning. She eventually moved to Wimberley, Texas. During her time in Wimberley, Sylvia became fascinated with ornithology and joined a local birding group. Their tours took her to such far-flung locales as China, Africa, South America, Antarctica, and New Zealand, complementing her already adventurous travel schedule in America and abroad. Over time, Sylvia also became a significant supporter of many artists, environmental causes, and the EmilyAnn Theater in Wimberley, a place where she felt inspired and embraced by the community. Her house was packed full of paintings and sculpture from artists local and far afield. She awoke every morning to opera. Sylvia read constantly, forever endeavoring to increase her knowledge of a wide variety of subjects. She dressed with flair and loved unique jewelry. What's more, she saw these accoutrements not as decorations, but as an extension of her kinetic spirit. She was a multi-faceted woman, one of a kind, and comfortable in her own skin as only true individuals are. She moved to Taos, New Mexico, to be closer to her sister in addition to Megan and her family. Six years later she moved to Ortonville, Minnesota, again to be closer to her sister. Given Sylvia's ardent environmentalism, support of artists, and love of birding, in lieu of flowers, donations to various environmental groups that she supported would be appreciated, to include CURE (Clean Up our River Environment) and The Western Environmental Law Center. At her request, Sylvia's ashes will be buried beneath a newly planted tree as a living reminder of her love of her family and the earth, which she considered her church. She always had a beautiful smile and gave great hugs. Her surviving family is grateful for the loving care she received at Fainrvay View. A Memorial Service will be held the first weekend in June of 2026 in Lamar, Colorado, at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church.