Pauline Ruth Bartman

Pauline "Ruth" Bartman, age 91, died on Friday, January 22, 2016, due to pneumonia. She is survived by her daughter, Betsy Smith, of McLean, Virginia, and five grandchildren: Izzy Smith, Nick Smith, Ted Smith, Caroline Bartman, and Jane Bartman. She also is survived by her son-in-law, John Smith, of McLean, Virginia, and daughter-in-law Caroline "Nenie" Bartman, of Washington, DC. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert "Bob" Bartman, and son, Thomas Robert Bartman.

Ruth was born on Staten Island, NY, and obtained a B.A. in history from Wagner College. She subsequently acquired her Master''s Degree in history at Columbia University, and went on to teach history in the Farmingdale, NY, school system for six years. After marrying Bob in 1951, the couple moved to Frankfurt, Germany, for Bob''s job with the federal government.

Both Tom and Betsy were born in Frankfurt. As both Ruth and Bob''s ancestors were German, they felt very much at home and enjoyed living there. Bob's job brought them back to the U.S. in 1957, when they purchased their first home in McLean, Virginia. At this time, Ruth became active in the League of Women Voters. Bob would work several more tours of duty in Germany over the next 18 years, both in Frankfurt and in Munich.

Returning to McLean in 1973, Ruth would remain in the Salona Village family home for the next 32 years, and remain a McLean resident the rest of her life. Ruth sought volunteer opportunities wherever she lived; she obtained her license as a remedial reading teacher in 1974 and tutored a number of children over the next ten years. At the same time, she entered into part-time employment with the federal government as a librarian, following Bob''s death in 1975. Upon her 1993 retirement from the government, Ruth continued her volunteer activities, notably serving several years as a reader for a blind executive, then volunteering with McLean''s Dolley Madison Library, and pursued her love of travel, visiting Europe numerous times, as well as China and Russia.

Ruth very much enjoyed, supported, and practiced the arts, holding season tickets for many years to the Kennedy Center and Arena Stage. Late in life she discovered a talent for pottery and watercolor, creating ceramic works of art that filled her home and the McLean apartment she moved to when the house became too much for her to maintain. In addition to travel and the arts, keeping in touch with and spending time with a large circle of friends, gardening, and staying abreast of world events and politics, Ruth''s great love was good food and drink. The family wishes to thank the staff of Sunrise of McLean for their caregiving of Ruth over the past 3 years.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 7, in the Joseph E. Hagen Chapel at Joseph Gawler''s Sons Funeral Home, 5130 Wisconsin Avenue in Washington, DC. Immediately following the service, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the Blue Room also at Joseph Gawler''s Sons Funeral Home.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions can be directed to Doctors Without Borders 333 Seventh Ave., 2nd Floor, NY, NY 10001; or to Planned Parenthood, 434 West 33rd Street, NY, NY 10001