Mary Bartley Obituary

Mary Jane "Judy" Bartley, 84, died peacefully Feb. 4, 2010, with her family by her side at Providence Horizon House, where she had been a resident since 2004.

A memorial service is planned for a later date.

Judy Beeler was born Jan. 23, 1926, in Montgomery, Ala., the youngest of six siblings. She moved with her family north to Billings, Mont., when she was 10 years old. She was a member of the Rainbow Girls throughout high school. She attended the University of Montana and graduated with a degree in journalism. She was a lifetime member of her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega.

On March 17, 1949, she married John M. Bartley, and they moved to Federal Way, Wash., where he was employed as a chief chemist for an oil refinery. The couple had two children. Mrs. Bartley's husband died suddenly in 1967 and she and her young children moved back to Montana to be near family. She remarried and continued to raise her children.

In 1988, she moved to Great Falls, Mont., to be near her family. Judy retired in 1994 and moved to State College, Pa., to be near her daughter while she was completing her Ph.D.

Judy was very active in music and line dancing. She was a member of the Golden Slippers in Great Falls and the Silver Spurs in State College. She was active in the Senior Citizens Center in State College and enjoyed many senior excursions throughout Pennsylvania with her core group of friends, as she called them. She moved to Wyoming for two years and then headed north to Alaska with her daughter and son-in-law in 2001 and was thrilled to be moving close to her young grandson.

Having been raised during the Depression, she appreciated the little gifts that life offered. An eternal optimist, she loved singing, dancing, theater, travel and wearing her favorite hats and was an extraordinary cook.

Due to her journalistic background, she believed in getting to the truth with information and taught her children how to apply critical thinking strategies when evaluating news and the media.

Always full of life, she will be deeply missed by her family.

She is survived by her daughter, Jo Ann Bartley and son-in-law, Randy Steiner; son, John Scott Bartley and former daughter-in-law, Michelle Bartley; and grandson, Sean Bartley, all of Anchorage; stepdaughter, Cheryl Blaquiere and her husband, Bill Blaquiere, of Billings, and their two children, Ryan Blaquiere and Callie Lofton. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Jean Freese of Miles City, Mont., and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Donna Beeler; five sisters and one brother; her first husband, John M. Bartley; and second husband, Hank Ostermiller.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Providence Horizon House for the care and joy they showed their mom. Thanks also go to the Providence Hospice care team for their kindness and support.