Brad Bartel

Obituary and In Memoriam: Dr. Brad Bartel

Archaeologist, Professor, Higher Education Leader, Family Hero

Brad Bartel died October 30, 2023, at home surrounded by his loving family in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He was 73. Brad died of multiple myeloma, a non-curable but treatable blood-bone cancer. One of the longest survivors, he met its challenges for 17 years with courage and dignity.

He is survived by Laura, his wife of 43 years, a son Jordan (Ahmed) and daughter Kimberly; brother Gabriel (Sheila) Bartel, and niece Jacqueline Bartel Driscoll (Brian); sister-in-law Linda Gilgen, and other nieces and nephews.

Brad was a highly regarded archaeologist, beloved professor, effective higher education leader, and a respected mentor. He was set to retire in January 2024 and was teaching his very last semester at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) where he had previously served as its provost.

A native of New York, Brad received his B.A. from Brooklyn College in 1970 and his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri, Columbia in 1974. He was just 24 years old. Both degrees were in Anthropology, specializing in archaeology. His focus areas were Roman archaeology, colonialism, mortuary practice, and early human symbolism. From 1969 to the early 2000s, he conducted research in Europe and the United States. He excavated Sirmium, a Roman Empire capital city in Serbia, the Celtic site of Dun Ailinne, Ireland, and surveyed early Bronze Age sites in Turkey. Funded by the National Science Foundation, he co-directed excavations at Kraku'lu Yordan, a Roman metallurgical site in Serbia.

He directed excavations and field schools at the San Diego Presidio in California (the first European (Spanish) settlement on the West Coast), and at the 18th century Moravian community of Old Salem, near Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He and his wife Laura, also an anthropologist, co-directed and led a field school at the neighboring winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford in Fort Myers, Florida. Brad's research appears in numerous scholarly publications including World Archaeology, the Journal of Archaeological Science, and the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology.

"When Brad came to MTSU in 2010, I was excited as an alum to learn the university had appointed an archaeologist as the new provost. As I got to know him, I learned just what a heavyweight he was in archaeology, having conducted fieldwork in the Old World, and New, and having published peer reviewed research in our discipline's most prestigious journals." --Phil Hodge, Tennessee State Archaeologist and Director, Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN.

In 1975, Brad became an assistant professor at San Diego State University (SDSU) and by 1982, had earned the rank of full professor. He never planned to become an administrator, but in 1983 he was strongly recruited for the position of associate dean of the Graduate Division and Research, which he accepted and became responsible for all graduate programs and degrees.

In 1991, he become the dean of the Graduate School and also served as the associate provost for Research at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro (UNCG). He developed dozens of graduate degree and certificate programs, created a national training workshop for graduate deans, and administered a successful federal lobbying strategy. He was also commissioner of the Greensboro Historical Commission for six years.

In 2000, Brad became the provost and executive vice president at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Fort Myers. He was responsible for developing the academic structure of this newer university and was given the responsibility for creating several other campus and community projects.

"Brad had an extraordinary ability to inspire and motivate those around him, and his enthusiasm for fostering student success was truly contagious. His leadership style was marked by compassion, fairness, and a genuine concern for his team members' personal and professional well-being. Brad had an incredible ability to recognize and bring out the best in others." --Dr. Jim Lynch, former colleague at UNCG and FGCU, and Director of Institutional Effectiveness, College of Coastal Georgia

In 2004, Brad became the president of Fort Lewis College (FLC) in Durango, Colorado. FLC is the designated public liberal arts college of Colorado and a leader in Native American collegiate education. Brad's contributions included new admissions standards, new degree programs, service learning, research initiatives, fundraising, new construction, and community relations. He considered FLC a shining jewel in the Colorado higher education system.

He promoted a popular annual FLC Presidential Native American Speaker series featuring a Native American keynote speaker. He was profoundly touched when he was asked to become an honorary member of the Southern Ute tribe by tribal officials. In Durango in 2006, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and began the on-again off-again treatments that continued for the rest of his life.

"In Brad Bartel's illustrious academic career, I knew him when he served as President of Fort Lewis College. Rarely has the college seen such a skilled administrator and team leader. Intelligent, thoughtful, and wise, he practiced the art of listening and treated everyone he met with respect. He is much missed." -- Judith Reynolds, journalist and FLC Adjunct

Brad returned to the South in 2010 to serve as the provost and executive vice president of the Division of Academic Affairs at MTSU. He was most proud of his work creating new doctoral programs, overseeing the notable Quest for Student Success program, and developing new opportunities and programs for faculty and students. He was proud of the teamwork within the provost's office and between the office and the departmental deans, faculty, and staff.

"Working for him was a great pleasure. I always respected him as someone who wanted to make decisions in the best interest of the entire university. I was always confident in his judgment, and I trusted him." -- Dr. David Urban, Dean Emeritus, Jennings A. Jones College of Business and Professor of Marketing, MTSU

In 2016, Brad retired as the provost to return full time to his first love - teaching and mentoring students. As a member MTSU's Department of Sociology and Anthropology, he taught world prehistory and European cultures and archaeology courses. He also taught graduate courses in higher education leadership for the College of Education.

"Dr. Bartel was more than just an educator; he inspired curiosity and a deeper understanding of the world around us. His lectures were insightful and engaging. As his student in Anthropology, I was profoundly touched by his passion for teaching and his dedication for unraveling the intricacies of human cultures." --Ibrahim Ariyan, student, MTSU

"Brad was a valued colleague and enriched our curriculum with his expertise in Old World archaeology, method, and theory. He was a loved and respected professor. Many students have reached out to me to express their gratitude for Brad's mentorship. His impact will continue to be felt as these students go on to practice and teach themselves." -- Dr. Shannon Chappell Hodge, Professor of Anthropology and Anthropology Program Director, MTSU

Brad leaves his family with an endless supply of overflowing memories. He loved reading, the arts, and following collegiate sports. In his younger days he was a great tennis player. He knew the lyrics of just about every 60s rock song. He was an animal lover, especially his pugs. He had more neckties and cufflinks that any one person should ever own. He was a good cook, specializing in barbeque and a knockout scallop pasta dish.

Brad was a devoted and loving husband and father. At home his focus was on the family spending time together. There were neighborhood walks, playing games, crafts, shopping trips, and watching silly TV shows together. There were wonderful family trips to the mountains, national parks, historic sites, and museums. He never missed the kids' soccer or baseball games or when they had choir performances or acted in plays. He was very proud of their church service projects and their involvement with Scouts. As adults, he continued to be proud of their talents and accomplishments.

Often a volunteer, his most memorable role was when he donned a full jaguar mascot costume and walked in a parade celebrating the kids' elementary school's successful reading program. In the last few years, you could find him manning the laptop and slide projector at Rutherford County Archaeological Society meetings and volunteering at its special events.

Brad's cancer affected his immune system and at certain times he was highly susceptible to infection. He regretted that he could not be more sociable or attend all the meetings and events that were important to him.

Brad requested cremation, no services be held, and for his ashes to be spread in a special place that he and his family shared.

He is our hero and will live forever in our hearts.

Laura, Jordan, and Kimberly Bartel

For those wishing to honor Brad, we suggest a donation to Alive Hospice of Tennessee or a charity of your choice.