Billy G. Bartee

Billy G. Bartee passed away on July 8, 2024, at Mason General Hospital in Shelton, WA. He was born on January 7, 1928 in Wickenburg, AZ, and graduated from high school there. He was preceded in death by his father, Frank Bartee, his mother, Esse Bartee, and his two brothers, Frank and Kenneth Bartee.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1946 and was discharged February 1948.

He married Jocelyn Judith Morse in March of 1949 and raised four boys. He worked in Phoenix at Western Electric Bell Telephone as a skilled installer. He accepted the Lord in June 1954, and was called into the ministry. He and his family moved to Los Angeles, CA and enrolled in the Church of Christ Bible School of Evangelism. He also worked at Cal-Tech in Pasadena as an Electronic Technician while in school. 1957, as an ordained pastor, Bill started a Church of Christ church in Baldwin Park, CA where he pastored for 28 years. In addition to his calling to pastor, he worked at several manufacturing companies as Manufacturing Planner for Claray Corp, United Data Control, and Bell & Howell. From 1969-1989, he worked at Honeywell in West Covina, CA as a Configuration Management Analyst. He retired in October of 1989.

As a retiree, Bill worked for his youngest son Tim at Designs in Lines operating vinyl lettering and cutting machine from 1989-1993. In 1993, Bill and his then wife divorced. In the same year, Bill moved to Reedsport, OR where he met and married Patricia Fairchild. He worked as secretary for the Presbyterian church, but they attended the Reedsport Foursquare church, and assisted Pastor Terry Plotz in the ministry. In 2004, his wife Patty passed away. In June of 2006, he met Mary Heuston Erickson and they were married in December of 2006. They decided to make their home in Olympia, WA where his wife Mary was residing. In 2007, Bill received his Foursquare church ministers license (assisting minister) at South Sound Foursquare in Tumwater, WA where he taught the interns for two years. In 2012, he was called to assist Pastor Paul Thompson at McCleary Church of God. In October of 2016, he and his wife Mary moved to Shelton, WA and have been attending Harvest Foursquare church there.

Bill was a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and friend. He loved to help people, and especially liked helping the younger generation learn working skills. He and his wife ended each day with their favorite games: Scrabble, Yahtzee, and Cribbage. He loved to hunt and fish in his earlier days.

He leaves behind his beloved wife Mary, his four boys, Billy, Jr. (wife Kathy) Scott (wife Hilda), Jon (wife Mary), and Tim (wife Robin), as well as five step-children, Lynn Nygaard (husband Rod), Bobby O'Neil, Dan O'Neil, Kelly McLeod Eshleman, Dan Thompson, 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He was loved by many, and we will all miss him very much!

A celebration of Bill's life will be held at Harvest Foursquare church, 910 E. Dearborn Avenue in Shelton, WA on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Cookies and refreshments will be available.

Condolence cards can be mailed to Mary Bartee, PO Box 308, Shelton, WA, 98584; and to John and Mary Bartee, 728 Claraday St. #6, Glendora, CA 91740.