Obituary of Ray Hayward Bartlett, Jr.

Ray Hayward Bartlett Jr., of Darien, died peacefully Saturday, January 31, 2009, at Stamford Hospital after a lengthy illness. He was born June 19, 1919, in Camden, NJ, son of the late Ray H. and Florence Weinbeck Bartlett. He and his wife, the former Dorothy Perkins of Wellesley Hills, MA, celebrated their 61st anniversary this fall. Ray grew up in Hudson, MA, and East Haven, CT. He graduated in 1942 from Northeastern University in Boston, MA, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. During World War II, Ray served in the U.S. Navy in the Carrier Aircraft Service Unit in Atlantic City, NJ. After the war, he was a Radiology Service Officer during the atom bomb testing at Bikini Atoll. Ray worked as a salesman for Shell Oil Company in the Aviation division for 23 years. After that he was self-employed as a manufacturer's representative, not retiring until age 84. Ray and his family moved to Darien in 1959, and he was active in the Darien Congregational Church, the Western Connecticut Military Officers Association, and was one of the founding members of the Darien Senior Men's Association. He was a founder and past president of the Middlesex Genealogical Society in Darien. Ray was always interested in anything aviation related. He had a commercial pilot's license and was involved in the Civil Air Patrol in the 1950s. He enjoyed visiting many aviation museums in the U.S., Canada, and England. He was also known as an avid photographer and could be seen at any business, church, or social event with his cameras. Ray is survived by his wife Dorothy, his children Diantha Howard and husband Alan, of Grand Isle, VT; Wendy Bartlett of Marietta, OH; and Ray (Bart) Bartlett III and wife Shilo, of Fountain Valley, CA; his former daughter-in-law Linda Slack of Tempe, AZ, and his grandchildren Justin and Kristin Howard, Henry and Lindsey Bartlett. He was predeceased by his sister Patricia Dawley of Bethel, VT and his infant daughter Cynthia Bartlett. The family is also very grateful for the kind care of Asare B. Poku during Ray's last year. A memorial service will be held Thursday, February 5, 2009, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Darien, 14 Brookside Road, Darien. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the New England Air Museum, Bradley International Airport, 36 Perimeter Rd., Windsor Locks, CT 06096, or Post 53-Ambulance, P.O. Box 2066, Darien, CT 06820. Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820