OBITUARY FOR RHODA ANN BARTLETT
Death Comes Unexpectedly To Teacher
Miss Rhoda Bartlett Finishes Disposing of Possessions, Dies Alone
Retired From Work
End Is Surprising to Friends Who Believed Her to Be Well
Just after completion of her plans for disposing of her personal and realty possessions, Miss Rhoda Bartlett, 72, native of Madison county and many years a school teacher, died suddenly Sunday [24 Nov 1935] in the home of her old neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Allen M. Jameson, at 2704 College avenue. Miss Bartlett had just completed breaking up her old home on College avenue, after giving Shurtleff college a deed to the property, which stands next door east of the Jameson residence, and eighty years ago was the residence of Dr. Reed, president of Shurtleff.
Several weeks ago Miss Bartlett had held a sale of her collection of antiques and at the same time disposed of practically all her own household effects. She had engaged a room in the William Megowen property at Salu and Main streets where she expected to live after retiring from the antique business in which she had been very active several years.
Friday evening Miss Bartlett went to the Megowen place, Mrs. Conrad O’Donnell, daughter of William Megowen, said, and left some of her personal effects, saying she would return later to take up her residence there. Later, Friday evening, Miss Bartlett stopped at the Jameson home saying she was ill, and Mrs. Jameson induced her to go to bed there.
Miss Bartlett remained in bed over Saturday but had talked with Mrs. Jameson many times during the day and had requested Mrs. Jameson not to wake her if she found her asleep. Sunday morning a real estate man who had been transacting business for Miss Bartlett called at the Jameson home to see her. Being informed her agent was there to see her Miss Bartlett remarked that she ‘felt fine’ and requested the agent to be sent up. After talking with Miss Bartlett for more than a half hour the agent left.
Soon afterward Mrs. Jameson went to the room to tell Miss Bartlett that she and Mr. Jameson were going to the home of a relative for dinner and would return a few hours later but, finding Miss Bartlett asleep, Mrs. Jameson did not wake her. Returning about mid-afternoon Mrs. Jameson immediately went to look after her neighbor and was surprised to note that she had not changed her position in bed and also that Miss Bartlett’s face had the same expression as when she had last seen her a few hours before. Mrs. Jameson called her husband and an examination proved the retired school teacher had breathed her last.
Was Last of Her Family
Born north of Troy in Madison county more than 72 years ago, Miss Bartlett was the daughter of William Bartlett. There were five sisters and one brother in the family, Miss Bartlett being the last of the family. The late Mrs. Henry Hayes and Mrs. J. D. Pace, both many years Upper Alton residents, were his sisters. Mrs. Bertha Hart, of Troy, a niece came to Alton Sunday afternoon, after being informed of the death of Miss Bartlett. Mrs. Hart’s mother was Mrs. Lucy Hader, a sister in the Bartlett family, whose death occurred in 1911. Mrs. Hart remained today at the Jameson home awaiting the arrival this evening of Mrs. Jane Pace Oertli, of Naperville, Ill., another niece. After Mrs. Oertli’s arrival, plans for the funeral will be made.
Miss Rhoda Bartlett devoted years of her life to school teaching. She had taught in the eastern part of Madison county coming to Alton nearly fifty years ago to teach in the primary department of the Upper Alton public school, now Horace Mann school. After teaching there some years she returned to Troy and took a position in the schools of that town, but later resumed her work in Upper Alton and from then on made her home here. Since retiring from teaching Miss Bartlett had been engaged at several locations conducting rooming and boarding houses, and some years ago conducted the business at the old hotel, Washington and College avenues, in the building which may in the near future be dismantled. She was well known to the older residents of Upper Alton and in years past had been active in work of the Upper Alton Baptist church.
Many Alton men and women received their first instruction in the primary grade at school under Rhoda Bartlett.
Source:
Alton Evening Telegraph, Alton, Illinois, Monday, 25 Nov 1935, p. 2, col. 8. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.