Ward W. "Bart" Bartusch

BARTUSCH, VAN WINKLE, SCHULZ

Posted By: Marguerite (email)
Date: 8/18/2003 at 14:04:31

Ward W. “Bart” Bartusch, 80, of Oxford, and formerly of Iowa City passed away on Friday, August 8, 2003, from complications of respiratory illness.

He is survived by one daughter, Suzanne Prymek, and her husband Smoe of Oxford, and son, Stuart Bartusch of Iowa City, Iowa. Grandchildren include Christopher Mason of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Dakota Prymek of Oxford, Iowa, Brittany and Brandon Bartusch of Osmond, Nebraska, and one great grandchild, Blaze Mason of Cedar Rapids, one brother, John Bartusch of Marion, Iowa and his best friend, Spuddy.

There will be no services or visitation. Burial will take place at a later date at the Rock Island Arsenal, in Moline, Illinois. The Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service of Iowa City is in charge of the arrangements.

Bart was born June 7, 1923, in Grundy Center, Iowa, to John Bartusch and Clystie Schulz Bartusch. He graduated high school from Reinbeck, Iowa. After graduation, in June 1940, Bart joined the CCCs until he reached age for active military duty in the U.S. Navy. During his twenty years of active duty, he traveled many places and met many people. He was awarded numerous combat and military medals throughout twenty years of active and ten years of inactive military service. He was a member of the #0017 American Legion, the #216 Fleet Reserve Association, the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge, Iowa City and a member of Hope United Methodist Church in Iowa City.

On January 8, 1955, he married Ruth Van Winkle. After Bart retired from the military, the family moved to Iowa. Bart worked for Latta’s Business System, then started Bart’s Copy Supply and was self-employed for a number of years before starting employment with the Waterloo Post Office.

Bart retired from the Waterloo Post Office in the early 1980s. After retirement, Bart and Ruth traveled through much of the United States in their fifth wheel trailer, making many friends along the way. Bart moved to the Iowa City area in 1996.

Bart will always be remembered for his story telling ability, giving everyone a special little knick name, and for his happy go lucky manor and his kindness and generosity to all who knew him. He enjoyed traveling, making new friends, cooking and baking, gardening and going to the casinos and his love of animals. All his family and those who were lucky enough to have known him will sadly miss him.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, and by a daughter, Sandra. A memorial fund will be established for the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center.