Rev. Harry A. Bartlett

ROUND LAKE - Rev. Harry A. Bartlett, 71, of Round Lake, Ill., passed away Monday, Sept. 18, 2006, at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill., from complications following heart surgery.

Rev. Bartlett was born in Ponemah, N.H., March 5, 1935, the son of Elgin and Alida (Glover) Bartlett. He was educated in the Amherst and Milford, NH schools, and upon graduation from high school in 1955, worked for various businesses in that area.

In 1962, Harry began college work at Kendall College in Evanston, Ill. While at Kendall he met and married his wife, Carol (Mandernack). He completed his A.A. degree in 1964, and moved on to Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree.

While at Baker, he began his ministerial career at the Vinland United Methodist Church, serving as a student supply pastor. He completed work on his Methodist Local Preacher's License, and spent one summer as a supply pastor at the Methodist churches in Hoyt and Mayetta, Kan.

Harry began his seminary work at Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill., in 1966. During this time, he was the student supply pastor at the United Methodist Church of Alden, Ill. After two years of study and a breakdown in his health, he and his wife moved to New Hampshire, where he was appointed to serve Trinity United Methodist Church in Colebrook, N.H. During that time, he attended Bishop's University in Lennoxville, PQ, earning his Licentiate in Sacred Theology. He served at Trinity for four years, leaving the denomination in 1972.

As a part of his ministry in the North Country, he enjoyed working with the Webelos Scouts, the Colebrook 4-H, the Civil Air Patrol, and REACT. He became an avid CB user and had many contacts over a 200-mile area.

During the next few years, Harry worked as a school bus driver, a guard at the Coos County jail, and then became sewing instructor and quality control manager for Manchester Manufacturing Inc. in Colebrook. He affiliated with the United Church of Christ and served Monadnock Congregational Church, along with other churches in the northern New Hampshire area as an interim and supply pastor for the next seven years.

In 1980, Harry made the decision to complete his seminary education and enrolled at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass. He did his student practicum as the Youth Pastor of the Hollis Congregational Church in Hollis, N.H. In 1983, he received his Masters of Divinity and was ordained at Monadnock Congregational Church in Colebrook on June 6 of that year.

Harry was called to be the pastor/teacher of the Berlin United Church of Christ, the Berlin United Methodist Church and the Errol Congregational Church, a shared ministry in Berlin, N.H., in the spring of 1983. He served this area for the next seven years. While in Berlin, he also served as the chaplain of the Coos County Nursing Home, chaplain of the Berlin Fire Department and the secretary of the Berlin Rotary.

Long active in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Harry achieved the office of Sovereign Grand Chaplain of the World in 1986 to 1987. He felt privileged to lead prayers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C.

A highlight of his educational ministry was to travel to Israel and Egypt in 1984 and 1988. These trips brought great insight to all the Biblical studies he had made, and greatly influenced his ministry for the rest of his life.

After ministering for two years at Immanuel Community Church in Concord, N.H., Harry and Carol were called to Haubstadt, Ind., to serve St. Stephen's United Church of Christ. Harry retired from there in 1998 after suffering a stroke and developing multiple disabilities.

In 2000, the couple moved to Round Lake, Ill., where Harry volunteered at the Community Church of Round Lake and served as the Supply Pastor at Zion United Church of Christ in Carpentersville, Ill., retiring from there in 2005.

Harry loved people, doing his craft projects, gardening, his beloved dog, cat and birds, and riding his "Rascal" scooter. His love and humor for all things of life sustained him through many difficulties and triumphs.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years; two sisters, Doris Gallagher, of Milford, N.H., and Hazel Scott, of Amherst, N.H.; his sister-in-law, Lesly Kovac, of Round Lake, Ill.; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Celebrations of his life and ministry were held at St. Peter Church, U.C.C. in Lake Zurich, Ill., and at the Milford United Methodist Church, Milford, N.H. Burial was in the Meadowview Cemetery in Amherst, N.H.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wanakee Scholarship Fund, c/o Milford United Methodist Church, North River Road, Milford, NH 03055 or Camperships for Horton Center, N.H., Conference, U.C.C., 140 Sheep Davis Road, Pembroke, NH 03275.