Doris May Bartelt<br/>May 15, 1922 - February 28, 2015

Doris May (Reedy) Bartelt, aged 92, passed peacefully into God’s hands on February 28, 2015 at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA.

Born in Sacramento to loving parents Charles and Alice Reedy, Doris was one of four sisters (Jane, Elizabeth “Betty”’ and Barbara) who their father lovingly referred to as his “four queens”. Doris’ father was an executive with the I.Miller shoe company, which certainly influenced her love of fine footwear, but also meant that they moved 15 times in her childhood. With three sisters by her side, Doris always had her best friends with her but also easily made friends in each new location including Forest Hills, NY, Seattle, WA, and San Francisco, CA. She valued her education by the nuns attending catholic schools across the country including The Mary Louis Academy, a prestigious college preparatory academy in New York. Moving back to California in her senior year of high school, Doris graduated from Santa Ana High School. She then honed her skills in secretarial school, entered the workforce and excelled in each endeavor.

During World War II, Doris worked for three years at the US. Army’s San Francisco Port of Embarkation in the Office of the Provost Marshall. It was from this location that nearly two-thirds of all U.S. army troops were sent into the war in the Pacific. Doris would often recall this time with bittersweet memories as she reminisced about dating many a dashing officer but also watched so many young men head off to war never to return.

From there, Doris worked for the Union Oil company (now know as Union 76) in Los Angeles. Life for Doris was great at work and in her personal life. She moved up through the ranks at Union Oil and during this time she established life-long friendships with her girlfriends Grace, Mae, Muriel and Carol. She shared an apartment with her younger sister, Barbara, was close to her parents, drove a convertible, travelled, and caught the eye of many an admirer who wanted to make her his bride.

Doris was independent and always ready for an adventure and never going to “settle down” until she met the “perfect” man. That happened in 1956 when her oldest sister Jane introduced her to Kenneth Paul Bartelt. Her Prince Charming had arrived and not only did she love him her parents did, too. Kenneth was an accountant and a USC graduate where he had been captain of the tennis team. He was also a widower with three young children (Edward, Anita, and Elizabeth “Mary”) who she loved and raised as her own. Doris and Kenneth married in Los Angeles in 1956 and were with blessed with two children, Paul Douglas and Nancy Anne. Her children and husband were her world and her greatest happiness in life. They were an unbelievably loving couple that served as an inspiration to others as having the “perfect” marriage.

In 1972, the Bartelts moved to Newport Beach where they previously vacationed for many years. Doris enjoyed being a part of numerous philanthropic organizations, traveling, oil painting in the studio that her beloved Kenneth built in their home, and playing golf at Big Canyon Country Club.

When the love of her life, her most cherished Kenneth, passed away in 1998 the light that warmed her heart for almost 50 years was dimmed. That light returned very quickly with the arrival of three grandsons: Brodie, Dawson and Ryder. With frequent visits and family celebrations, Paul’s boys were a highlight of her later years.

Healthy until age 91, when Doris was diagnosed with cancer, she proceeded like she always had with courage and strength and attacked it head on with prayer, determination and treatment. Her entire family (including her children, sister, grandchildren, nieces and nephews) gave her the support she needed. Her daughter, Nancy, was her constant companion and lived with her from the time she was diagnosed.

Doris enjoyed every day and was a shining example of a life well-lived. She had an elegant way about her in everything she did. The two things that meant the most to Doris throughout her 92 years were her family and her faith. She had a wonderful visit with her priest, Monsignor Lawrence Baird, in her last week which gave her great comfort for her journey ahead. She was surrounded by her family in her final days (sister, son, daughters, grandchildren). They returned her lifetime of love by never once leaving her side in her final days.

Doris has joined God and the angels in heaven and has been reunited with her beloved Kenneth who preceded her in death. Her sisters Jane, and Elizabeth “Betty” also preceded her in death. Doris is survived by her son, Paul; daughter, Nancy; sister, Barbara; grandsons Brodie, Dawson and Ryder; stepchildren, Anita, Elizabeth, and Edward; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Mass with be held on Friday, March 6 at 10:00 am at Our Lady Queen of Angeles church in Newport Beach.

Those wishing to honor Doris’ memory with a donation can contribute funds in her name to St. John Vianney Chapel at 314 Marine Avenue, Balboa Island or Hoag Hospital Foundation in the support of continued education for the oncology nursing program.