Harry B. Bartlett Sr.

Harry B. “Bus” Bartlett Sr. age 90, of Topeka, died May 5, 2008 at Clare Bridge Cottage.

Mr. Bartlett was born on July 13, 1917 in Topeka, the son of Louis Frank ad Mary Catherine (Cooper) Bartlett. He was a 1935 graduate of Topeka High School and attended Kansas State University. He served in World War II as a commissioned officer in the Army Corp of Engineers, seeing duty in both the European and South Pacific Theatres.

After college, Harry B. Bartlett, Sr. began his engineering career in the employ of Mr. S. A. “Count” Selenec. Upon Mr. Selenec’s death, Mrs. Selenec expressed her desire for the business to continue. Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Glen Paden formed the partnership of Paden & Bartlett, with their office being located in the New England building in downtown Topeka. They performed engineering services for streets and sewer design, land development and land surveying. One of the firm’s largest early projects was the design of a portion of the newly developed Kansas Turnpike. They later moved their office to West Tenth Avenue and then to SE 29th Street before building a new office building on West 33rd Street. Mr. Paden left the company in the early 1960’s, and Harry expanded his company to include a newly funded program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Farmers Home Administration to provide residents of rural areas with safe drinking water through the establishment of rural water districts. Harry’s firm completed the first rural water district approved and constructed in the United States. His staff of eight in the 1960’s solidified the company’s reputation for quality engineering.

He later took in Charlie West and they formed a partnership of Bartlett & West Engineers, P.A. They continued the engineering business as Bartlett had started, providing street, sewer, land development, land surveying and rural water district design. Mr. Bartlett retired in 1982. Charlie West kept the business and business name and laid plans to take the company in a different direction. It continued that direction through his retirement and the company was purchased by Bartlett & West Employees Stockholders Trust.

Mr. Bartlett was a member of Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council #534 and the James W. Gibbons Assembly of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, The National Society of Professional Engineers, Kansas Engineering Society, Professional Engineers in Private Practice, Topeka Engineers Club, and a life member of American Legion.

He married Vivian E. McDonal in June of 1939, she preceded him in death in December of 1975. He later married Belva L. (Erdman) Peters at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church on April 12, 1980. She survives of the home. He is also survived by three sons: Harry Bernard Bartlett Jr. of Topeka, Stephan Craig Bartlett of Topeka, and Thomas Lynn Bartlett of Leavenworth, and a step daughter Marcia D. Wittman of Topeka, a sister Lucille Maria Bartlett Birdsley of Topeka, six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Mr. Bartlett will lie in state on Wednesday after 2:00 p.m. at the Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home where rosaries will be recited by the Parish at 6:00 p.m., Knights of Columbus Council #534 at 6:30 p.m. followed by a chalice ceremony by James W. Gibbons Assembly of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Interment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery with military honors conducted.

Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Mr. Bartlett to Midland Hospice Care Inc., or to Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church and sent in care of Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6th Ave., Topeka, Kansas 66603.

Online condolences may be made at www.brennanmathenafh.com.