Jonathan George Bartlett

In Conshohocken, his childhood home, thanks to his mother, was a place of comfort not only for him, but for the children of the neighborhood. That generosity and kindness stayed with him through university and into fatherhood. He lived by example, teaching others the importance of compassion, acceptance, and meeting people exactly as they are.

After he graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism, he began a varied and colorful professional journey. While in college, he worked as an assistant manager for the Chicago Tribune delivery service in the Chicago suburbs. He later returned to Philadelphia, where he lived for many years before moving to Phoenix 16 years ago.

Out of his many jobs, one of his favorites was delivering supplies to nursing stations at a hospital in Chicago. He had his own desk in the storeroom “a pretty sweet setup” where nobody bothered him much, and he liked that. The role allowed him to visit every floor each day and build friendly connections with the nursing staff.

For two years, he served as a steamship agent in the Port of Philadelphia. When a contracted ships arrived, no matter the hour, he was there to greet the captain at the dock, coordinate paperwork with Immigration and Customs, and arrange provisions like food and fuel for the crew. He loved sharing stories of sailors rushing into town to experience life ashore. In his passion as a sports enthusiast, he was a copy editor for ‘The Fan’ a sports magazine. In his interest in life around him, he shared local stories as a journalist for the local Roxborough Newspaper ‘The Review’.

That variety of jobs reflected the variety of experiences and changes his life embraced. He saw deep value in other cultures and in personal growth, incorporating tai chi and yoga into his daily routines as part of his commitment to health and balance. Through yoga teacher training, he found another meaningful community and built a wide circle of friends who describe him as kind, warm, generous, funny, and always willing to help.

He did not aspire to greatness, fame, or wealth; he aspired to be good. In that, he succeeded. The world could use more men like him.

To the people around him he was a devoted bread maker, a terrific cook, and above all, a loyal friend. From Conshohocken to college, from Philadelphia to Phoenix, he carried friendships with him wherever he went, including many Facebook friends who remained an important and cherished part of his world.

He is survived by his beloved son, Erich; his sister, Erica; and his former wife, Ellen. He also leaves behind family and friends who reside everywhere from Hawaii to Arizona, along the East Coast, and across the ocean. They miss him greatly.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to World Central Kitchen, an organization dedicated to providing meals in the wake of disasters, at wck.org.

A celebration of his life will be held at 1 P.M. on April 25, 2026 at 3511 Sunnyside Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19129