Charles William Bartley, Marjorie Shipman Bartley

Charles William Bartley was born to Ethel and Ebbie Bartley on March 6, 1924 near Marathon, IA.
His family included one older sister, Gertrude. Chuck attended school in Rockford, Iowa, playing trombone in the high school band, state and national music competition, and playing center on the all-conference championship football team. After high school, he began college at Iowa State, majoring in Poultry Science. After two years of college, Chuck chose to enlist in the Naval Air Corp to serve his country in World War II. He received training in Florida, Texas, California, Washington, and Hawaii before flying Hellcats off the USS Santee aircraft carrier. He attained the rank of Lieutenant JG before leaving the Navy.

One of Chuck’s proudest memories of his service was his participation in the evacuation of many prisoners of war from Taiwan after the war. His heart went out to these brave soldiers as they came aboard the carrier, many emaciated and barely alive. He was thrilled that he and Mom were able to attend a reunion in Rhode Island and meet one of the POW’s who had come aboard his carrier. This man, Cecil Clarke, and Chuck stayed in touch until his death. Whenever he talked about Cecil and the other POW’s and also his opportunity to take the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C to see the WWII memorial, his pride in his country was so evident in his eyes, sometimes through his tears.

After WWII, Chuck returned to Eagle Grove where his parents had moved after buying an acreage. The summer before going back to Iowa State, he met Marjorie Shipman. They dated at Iowa State where she was a freshman and member of the Pi Beta Phi and he was a junior and member of Delta Upsilon, Iowa State College Concert Band, and Phi Mu Alpha national music honorary. Following his graduation, he and Marge were married at the Shipman house on Commercial in Eagle Grove. He worked in Salisbury MD and then Jackson MS for Swift and Company, and then they returned to Eagle Grove when he accepted a job with Boone Valley Regional Cooperative as Feed Division Manager. Their five children, Pam Bill, Lincoln, Jim, and Jana, all attended Eagle Grove schools.

Marge and Chuck were members of the United Methodist Church for the past 56 years where he served on the Board of Trustees and Staff/Parish Committee. He also coached Little League baseball and loved playing tennis at Hewett Park and golf at the Eagle Grove Country Club. He continued to pursue both of these when he retired and he and Marge spent their winters in Mission, TX. He loved music throughout his life, and continued playing his keyboard in the Bartley Boys Band (Lincoln, Jim and Dad) until two weeks before his death when grandson Luke joined them during his visit to Iowa.

Chuck was diagnosed with COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - in late 2010. He adjusted to his inhalers and nightly oxygen and kept up his walking and going to daily coffee as long as he could. When he was forced to go on oxygen 24/7, he kept a positive attitude and learned to use the portable tank. Unfortunately, even with all these interventions, he continued to get weaker and finally was put on hospice. The last week of his life, he told his children that he had had a good, long life, was ready to go and be with Marge, his loving wife of almost 62 years, whom he missed dearly. God, in His infinite love, tenderness, and grace granted his wish on August 14, 2011 when he passed away peacefully in his home with Lincoln, Jim, and Pastor Mike present.

Chuck Bartley is survived by his five children and their families: Pam and Don Abbott, Bill and Dolores Bartley, Lincoln Bartley, Jim and Janis Bartley, and Jana and Steve Klepfer. His 11 grandchildren include Allison, Jessie, Meaghan, Meridith, Madeline, Trae, Karen, Emma, Chelsea, Jamie and Luke and he had many nieces and nephews. Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Gertrude Corless, and his loving wife, Marge who died April 4, 2010. He kept this prayer by his computer to say daily: “Heavenly Father - please bless all my family and friends in whatsoever it is that you know they may be needing this day. And may their lives be full of your peace as they seek to have a closer relationship with you.” Chuck’s favorite hymn was “Great is Thy Faithfulness“ We are so thankful God was faithful in even the tiniest details and even to the very end of our dear father’s life.


Marjorie L. (Shipman) BARTLEY

BARTLEY, SHIPMAN



Marjorie L. Bartley, 82 years old, of Eagle Grove, died Sunday, April 4, 2010, at her home. Family services will be held at a later date.

Monice Shipman Larson

Mason City Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa
September 17, 1959

Murder Victims to Be Buried in Eagle Grove

EAGLE GROVE, IA — Funeral services for Mrs. Harold Larson, 25, will be held on Friday at 2 p.m. at the Eagle Grove Evangelical Lutheran Church with the Rev. Kenneth R. Torvik officiating. Services will a!so be held at the same time for her 4-1/2-month-old adopted daughter, Kimary Ann. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Eagle Grove. Mrs. Larson, who was killed in Ames Tuesday by a college student who went berserk, is survived by her husband, Harold and their son Douglas, 5. Other survivors are her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Shipman; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Wilcox; two sisters, Mrs. Charles Bartley and Mrs. John Plunkett, and one brother, Duane of Seattle, Wash. The baby, who was born in Des Moines April 20, was killed by the same beserk student.

Mrs. Larson, who was born Nov. 13, 1933, in Eagle Grove attended the Eagle Grove elementary schools and is a graduate of the Eagle Grove High School. During the time her husband was in Junior College here she was a secretary in the office of the school superintendent.

Duane H. Shipman

November 11, 1922 - March 6, 2002

Duane H. SHIPMAN --- Born in rural Eagle Grove, Iowa, he graduated from Eagle Grove High School with honors. Entered the Army on January 19, 1943. Attended engineering program at Texas A&M. His education was interrupted when the U.S. entered the War in Europe. Duane served as a lead scout in the 99th Infantry until the War ended. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Following the War, he attended the Univ. of California at Berkeley, graduating Cum Laude in Economics and History. After working at Dun & Bradstreet, he settled in Seattle in 1951. By 1956, he was the Comptroller of Mayflower Ins. becoming the V.P. Comptroller in 1957. He was elected Executive V.P. of Grange Ins. in 1972. He retired in 1985. He served on the Seattle Asian Art Council, the lifelong AIDS Alliance, the Board of Chicken Soup Brigade, and volunteered with the American Cancer Society. Preceding him in death are sister Monice Larsen, father Herschel Shipman, and mother Nell Shipman. Surviving are his sisters Marjorie Bartley and Laurie Plunkett, aunts Alice Farmer and Helen Dawson, many loving nieces and nephews, and close friends. Memorial Services will be held Friday, March 15, 2002 at 2:30 p.m. at the Seattle Tennis Club, 922 McGilvra Blvd. East. In lieu of flowers, send donations to Lifelong AIDS Foundation, the American Cancer Society or other charity.

March 10, 2002
Seattle Times - Seattle, Washington