Robert Rea (Bob) Bartmes

Published 11:32 pm Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Robert Rea (Bob) Bartmes died on Sunday May 23, 2010. Mr. Bartmes was born in Miami, Fla., on May 9, 1933, to Russell and Elsie Rea Bartmes. He had one brother, Russell, who preceded him in death.

Bob is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sara Doolittle Bartmes, a teacher at Rabun County High School; a daughter Stacey Bartmes Walls and her husband Tom and their children Brent Thomas and Alexis Nicole Walls.  He is survived also by a second daughter, Jennifer Bartmes Cox, and her children Sara Katherine and Grace Elizabeth Cox.

Upon graduating from the University of Florida with an engineering degree, he entered the United States Air Force where he became a pilot.  In 1960, Bob left the Air Force to take a job with General Electric as an engineer and marketing specialist.  His expertise in the then emerging market of re-chargeable batteries led to another career with a French battery corporation, SAFT, of America.  It was this association that brought Bob and his family to Valdosta, Ga., here they resided for 18 years. During that time, Mr. Bartmes held a variety of positions, including Corporate Vice President of Marketing.  His work took him to many parts of the world including the Orient and frequent trips to France.

In 1994, Bob and Sara moved permanently to Rabun County, setting up housekeeping in a log cabin that they had owned for several years. While Sara taught at Rabun County High School, Bob engaged in a variety of activities and eventually worked for Clayton Wal-Mart.  Bob was also a musician and great lover of music.  His daughters grew up listening to classical music of every sort and were frequently asked to listen carefully to a particular operatic aria or to pick out a certain instrument in an orchestral arrangement.  His knowledge and interest in model trains and cars and all things electronic kept him busy in later years.  He was a member of the National Train Collectors Association and particularly liked to collect Lionel trains.  We will miss his love, humor, sense of fun and zest for life.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on July 9, 2010 at the Head of Tennessee Baptist Church in Dillard, the Rev. Doug Porter officiating. Memorial donations in Bob’s memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Association 855 Abutment Road, Suite 6, Dalton, GA  30721.  An online memorial register book is available at www.beckfuneralhome.com. — Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Ga. (706) 782-9599