Marie Bartlett

Born on August 5, 1926 in Vian, Oklahoma, Marie Bartlett passed away peacefully on April 2, 2022 at the age of 95. A kind, generous, humble, and selfless person, Marie loved her family and her church. She cherished people and relationships much more than material things and was extremely thoughtful and considerate of others. In every telephone conversation with her children, she always asked about the grandchildren, what they were doing, and their well-being. More than anything else, she loved her two sons, Larry and Jimmy, and would do anything within her power to nurture, support, and help them in any way possible.

During and after raising her two sons, she worked in the credit department at JC Penney at Central Mall for 25 years before retiring at the age of 65. She was always a very positive person, never saying anything negative about anyone. However, when necessary, she would often speak her mind, but always in a very tactful and diplomatic way.

She was a member of Grand Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas since 1950 and cherished dearly her church family and friends. She worked in the church nursery for 14 years and was one of the original members of what came to be called “The Party Girls,” her closest friends who were also members of Grand Avenue. They travelled together often, played canasta, and supported each other for many years.

Until her later years, she enjoyed traveling, especially to see her children and grandchildren. Her longest trips were to Germany to visit her son, Larry, and to Hawaii with her son, Jim. In her early retirement years, she often traveled with her church family in a group known as the Jolly Travelers, and they toured both far and wide to experience the beauty and culture of Arkansas and many surrounding states.

Marie always put other people's needs above her own. Despite the shrinking size of the daily newspaper, she continued her subscription and read the paper every day, from front to back, then shared it with neighbors.

Marie loved nature, beautiful landscapes and flowers, especially orchids, and she thrilled to see and was always quick to talk about the new little buds as they appeared on the plants in her apartment.

She was blessed with a good mind, and to keep it sharp, she enjoyed working jigsaw puzzles. To the end, her mind was as sharp as a tack.

Marie was preceded in death by her father, Herman Bill Werschky; mother, Martha (Kusel) Werschky; brothers George Werschky and Herman Wayne Werschky; and sister, Mary Ann (Werschky) Zuber. She

is survived by a brother, Carl Werschky, two sons, Jimmy Dale Bartlett and Larry Dean Bartlett, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

As she would have wanted, on April 5, 2022 a beautiful graveside ceremony was held on a gorgeous spring day at White Bluff Cemetery, Hackett, Arkansas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the medical expenses of her 4-year-old great-grandson, Joseph Coogan, who sustained a life-threatening brain injury. Contributions can be made online at: https://gofund.me/c9db9d3f.

Online condolences may be sent to: www.edwardsfuneralhome.com