Janet M. Bartley

Janet M. Bartley (nee McHugh), aged 94, of Voorhees, NJ, wife of the late William J. Bartley, passed away peacefully in her sleep, at home, on the morning of October 15, 2025. She was the daughter of the late Edward R. McHugh and Eleanor (nee Hufnagel).
Janet grew up immensely proud of her parents and siblings, and had great confidence in herself. She tempered her pride and confidence with humility and always putting others first. She made her life a master class in how to be polite, care for others' feelings, and make people feel welcome.
She could surprise as well as charm. At one family reunion, at Lake Ariel, her brothers, a playful group, organized a footrace. The adults would run out from the large house we were all sleeping in, around a tree and back. We kids were on a balcony for a good view to cheer them on. At the "Go!" the scrum of aunts and uncles surged forward, with the exception of our mom, who all by herself ran up the return route. Our cousins laughed and we screamed, "What are you doing!" She had a plan. As the uncles and aunts circled around the tree, they startled at her coming at them. She bumped into and held on to as many as she could. Our father coasted to victory, and we laughed while our cousins screamed.
For much of her life, she enjoyed shopping and decorating her house. Hours were devoted to finding just the right thing, whether children's clothes or knicknacks to adorn the walls. Holiday decorations, inside the house, were a big deal. Counting creches and Santas in the living room could've been a Christmas game. She enjoyed greeting trick-or-treaters, praising their costumes and delighting in their awe at her spread of candy. It was all done on a budget. At the end of her life, we found batches of plastic and paper bags, folded neatly, and stacks of tins and plastic containers ready to be used again.
Roman Catholicism was important to her. Her father petitioned for a Catholic High School in Scranton. One of her older brothers was in its first class, and became a Jesuit priest who served in India. His visits to the United States were big deals for all of us. She sent all her children to a Catholic school, and completely trusted the nuns in their use of rulers for discipline.
She made friends easily, and impressed our friends as "a great mom," who was always kind with time to spare and brownies to offer. Those brownies--and her graham-cracker pies-live on only in memory because no one could duplicate their taste even though she gladly gave the recipes.
She enjoyed watching and betting on horse races, watching sports, rooting for her children and grandchildren, lottery tickets, and getting in the car with her son, Brendan, to head off to a petting zoo, a hamburger or hot dog joint, or Lakehurst to see the Hindenburg hanger, or some other site he'd heard about, the two of them singing along to "Danny Boy" or Christmas songs any day of the year as they drove.
She valued education and educators, and took pains to write in a clear, legible hand, thank you notes and condolences. Three of her children pre-deceased her, and at each funeral mass, she finally put herself forward to praise her children, her speeches carefully written out on note paper.
She was the devoted mother of six children. Surviving children are Kieran Bartley, Moira Harrison (Trey), Brendan Bartley and daughter-in-law Wendy Bartley. She was a loving grandmother to Zachary McCart (Irene) and Katherine Bartley, and a loving great-grandmother to Ashley and Patrick McCart.
Her pre-deceased children are Matthew Bartley, Garret Bartley and Brigid Bartley, and siblings Elizabeth "Betty" Antalics, Edward "Ned" McHugh, George McHugh, Richard "Dick" McHugh and Thomas "Tommy" McHugh.
Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing on Thursday, October 23, 2025 from 10:00AM - 11:00AM at Saint Simon Stock Parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 178 W. White Horse Pike, Berlin, NJ, 08009. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11:00AM. Burial will take place privately at the request of the family.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to the Maryland Province Jesuits Fund. Checks should be made payable to: Maryland Province Jesuits Fund, in memory of Janet M. Bartley. They should be mailed to Attn: Ms. Cori Tyner, Maryland Province, 5704 Roland Ave., Baltimore MD 21210.
Arrangements under the direction of COSTANTINO-PRIMO FUNERAL HOME, 231 W. WHITE HORSE PIKE, BERLIN, NJ 08009.