Max Bartlett

1927 - 2015

In Max's own words "I was born at a very early age in Colorado Springs, CO. This must have been a major shock to my parents as they never tried to increase the number of children. My mother was delighted to send me off to kindergarten at age 5, but I promptly got expelled because I found little girls did not like toads." Max was ever the entrepreneur, from an early age found him mowing lawns, raising chickens, pulling weeds (I could never get him to do that for me), peddling coat hangers back to the laundry, selling Xmas trees and door to door bottled soft drinks. He had 2 small jobs before he got a job at a mom and pop grocery store until he was 17 years old and the owner was requested to join the Army. He knew he had to hurry to finish high school early so he could join the Navy. He had an abhorrence of the Army as he was not fond of digging holes in the ground and sleeping in them and the marching around was not appealing. He went to the extent of memorizing the eye chart (after numerous attempts) as he was almost blind in one eye. Years later he would be adept at surgery with one eye closed. His Navy years from Feb. 1945 to July 1946 were spent in San Diego, Chicago, San Francisco, Tokyo Bay, Shanghai, Tsingtao, and Tientsin, China. Due to poor showing on the rifle range (this is another story in its own right) his weapon was removed from his possession. Upon his honorable discharge in the fall of 1946 he enrolled in The Colorado College pre-med. During this period 1946 to 1950 he met and married Reva Smith and in 1949 had one son, John. He attended and graduated from the University of Colorado Medical School, 1950 to 1954. He then went to Nashville, Tenn. for Rotating Internship at Baptist Hospital. His residency for ObGyn was at Baptist Hospital from 1955 to 1958. Meals, house cleaning, a 3 bedroom apartment, were provided by the hospital, leaving Reva time to get pregnant twice, adding Robert and James to the household. In 1958, Max, Reva, and 3 boys moved back to Denver where he started an Obstetrics partnership which lasted 16 years. In 1965, a long awaited daughter, Karen, was born, who was much spoiled and pampered and much teased by her older brothers. This necessitated a move to a larger house, which he designed himself. While this new home was under construction, he was also building, by himself with help from friends, a house in Winter Park. In 1974, he left partnership and started a private practice. In 1980, Reva died unexpectedly. In 1991, after a 2 year courtship, Max welcomed Dianne Awes Freilinger into his life. Max and Dianne shared a close and wonderful marriage for 24 special years. We share 5 children, as Max accepted Dianne's son Brett Freilinger as his son. In 1993, he welcomed two female Doctors, a nurse midwife and a nurse practitioner to join his Obstetrics practice. This arrangement was most agreeable for all until his retirement in 2000. At his retirement the office had 14 women employed at one time and as he called it "he was the lone male intagratee". Incidentally, on Feb. 7, 1997, he delivered the third generation in one family. Max spent considerable time serving on committees of various charities, including Heart Association, Children's Diabetes, Food Bank of the Rockies, Colorado Neurological Institute, Denver Press Club, Board of University of Colorado Medical School Alumni, Board of Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert Counties Medical Society, and Past Chairman of Board of MTC and Board of Accelerated Medical Services - a home health care company in Denver. Max is lovingly survived by wife, Dianne Bartlett; children John and Zelda Bartlett of Denver, Robert and Marcy Bartlett of Georgia, Brett and Cindy Freilinger of Highlands Ranch, Jim and Terri Bartlett of Laguna Hills, Calif., Karen and Darrell Pridemore of Parker; niece Caryl Brown, Altan and Aaron of Montrose, nephew Alan and Kristy Brown, Allie and Jack; grandsons, Tyler and Katie Freilinger of Castle Rock, Trenton Freilinger of Highlands Ranch, Matthew and Sara Bartlett of Utah, Daniel Bartlett of Georgia, Max A. and Scotty Bartlett of Calif.; great grandsons, Charlie Freilinger of Colo. and Dylan Bartlett of Georgia. For family and friends a celebration of life will be held at Citron Bistro Restaurant, 3535 South Yosemite St., on Saturday, Jan. 31, 11:00am to 2:30pm. Please in lieu of flowers, make a donation to a charity of choice in Max's name.