Florence Stella Bartlett née Carlson, beloved wife of the late Paul Bartlett of Duchess and Brooks, passed away in Brooks on Sunday, May 11th, 2025 at the age of 97 years. Born in Humboldt Hospital, Saskatchewan, on October 26th, 1927, she was raised on a mixed farm near Meacham. Florence received her early education at home (her mother had been a teacher), then attended the nearby one room York School, graduated Grade 12 in Meacham, and then completed teacher training at the Saskatoon Normal School. Her first teaching job was at the one room schoolhouse of Mountain View near Duval, SK in 1946-48, next the one room schoolhouse of Fairy Glen near Melfort, SK in 1948-49, and then Grade 5 in the large King George School in Saskatoon in 1949-50. In December 1950, Florence moved to Duchess, AB, where she taught various elementary grades in the village school 1950-1952. It was shortly after her arrival in Duchess that she met the village storekeeper Paul Bartlett. They were married in June 1952 and four children followed: Doug, Cheryl, Keith, and Wendy. As the children got older, Florence spent more and more time helping Paul in the store, which she loved. Eventually she truly "ran it" as Paul became increasingly consumed with work as an elected county councillor and a volunteer hockey coach and organizer. Florence was also very much involved as a hockey mom and enjoyed volunteering for the Duchess Frontier Memorial Arena, both in the kitchen and for its many fund-raising activities such as the 20-mile Walk-a-Thon of 1969. Florence and Paul sold their store in Duchess in 1980 and moved to Brooks in 1985. Another of Florence's great loves was her vegetable garden – she had an enormous one in Duchess. But in Brooks, she first had to grow the soil through ambitious composting though it wasn't long before she again had a garden that produced in abundance. One of her great delights was sharing the garden's cucumbers, dill, parsley, tomatoes, etc. with neighbours and friends. In Brooks also, Florence became a community volunteer, delivering "Meals on Wheels" through several years and helping in diverse church-related activities such as tea and bake sales to rag cutting; she was the recipient of a "Senior of Distinction" award in 2013. Florence moved into Newbrook Seniors Lodge in Brooks in January 2017. She was predeceased by husband Paul in 2002 and her only sibling Janet in 2010. Florence is survived by son Doug Bartlett and wife Susan of Edmonton plus their children Shyloh (Tracey, children Jaeger, Landin, Sadie) and Jeramy (daughter Bridgette); by daughter Cheryl Bartlett of Sydney, NS; by son Keith Bartlett and wife Teresa of Brooks plus their children Dustin (Paige) and Brendan; and by daughter Wendy Metcalf and husband Brad of Brooks plus their children Michael, Matthew (Chelsea), and Chandel (Damon). The family profoundly thanks Dr. T. Muller and his staff plus the many others at Brooks Health Centre and Home Care Services, who provided superb care for Mom in her last years while melanoma consumed her body though never her spirit. And a special thank you also to the many at Newbrook Lodge who always kept a loving eye out for Mom. Cremation will take place; there will be no funeral. A Celebration of Life will be held at an undetermined date in the future.

Cremation is entrusted to and conducted at

Smith Funeral Home Ltd., Brooks