John R. Bartels Jr.

John R. Bartels, Jr. died peacefully on March 27, 2025, with his wife and best friend Jisun Bartels by his side. He was 90 years old. John was born on November 27, 1934, to John R. Bartels, a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, and Anne Willson Bartels. He graduated from Harvard University in 1956, where he earned a degree in history magna cum laude. In 1957 he attended the University of Munich as a Fulbright Scholar and Konrad Adenauer Scholar, before returning to the U.S. to earn an LL.B. at Harvard Law School in 1960.

After several years in private practice, John spent the next decade-plus in public service. He served from 1964 to 1968 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York under Robert Morgenthau. In 1968 he became the first Chief of the New Jersey Strike Force, where he led, in the words of TIME magazine at the time, “the most significant attack on organized crime in the state’s history.” In 1972 he was named Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division. And from 1973 to 1975, John served as the first Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, during which time he led the efforts to establish the El Paso Intelligence Center, DEA’s special agent training program, DEA’s Office of Intelligence, and the Unified Intelligence Division field unit, among other achievements.

After leaving government, John co-founded the law firm of Bartels & Feureisen LLP in Bedford Hills, New York, where he practiced for many years and remained of counsel until his death. John loved the law and was a tireless and effective trial and appellate advocate on behalf of his clients. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He also taught law as an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University School of Law from 1969 to 1971 and as an Instructor in Trial Advocacy at Pace University Law School from 1978 to 1986. John received numerous awards over his career, including the Outstanding Service Award, U.S. Department of Justice (1970), the Commissioner’s Award from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (1974), and the Pace Law School Leadership Award (1990).

John had an engaging personality and a quick wit. He was a voracious reader and a student of history. He relished the daily challenge of The New York Times crossword puzzle. And he was a passionate sports fan, especially of the Boston Red Sox, the New York Giants, and FC Bayern Munich. Later in life he became an animal lover who received endless pleasure from being around his various dogs and cats. John leaves behind his wife of 22 years Jisun Lee Bartels; his five children Gilpin (Gip), Kristin, Anne, Elizabeth (Biz), and Jackson; and nine grandchildren. The Bartels family would like to express a sincere debt of gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and staff of Yale New Haven Hospital. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, www.aspca.org.