Annette Bartlett

Annette Bartlett, 93, passed away on Saturday, April 29, at the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook after a short illness.
Born in Middleboro, Mass., on March 10, 1930, to Basil Wade Bartlett and Lea Galfre Bartlett, she attended schools in Middleboro.

Annette moved to the North Country in 2019, living with each of her daughters for a time before moving to Sartwell Place Assisted Living in Whitefield. Annette had just become a resident of the Coos County Nursing Hospital in West Stewartstown and was looking forward to living closer to her daughters again, when she suddenly took ill. Annette had previously enjoyed her retirement life at the Annie Maxim House in Rochester, Mass., where for over 20 years she made numerous friends, enjoyed long walks along Snipatuit Pond and through the beautiful grounds and gardens.

Annette worked in the nursing field for many years. Her roles included nursing assistant, nurse aide, nurse attendant, dietary, and private duty care. She completed several specialized certificate courses, receiving certificates from the state of Mass. Bureau of Vocational Training for nurse aide training, Southeastern Massachusetts University on caring for Aged Persons, VA Hospital in Brockton on Reality Orientation, Massasoit Community College on the Study of Interpersonal Relations, Ventura, California Introduction to Hospice, Brockton Hospice Death and Dying course, and completed a pre-entrance exam for her LNA. She worked for a time at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital and Weeks Memorial Hospital. Her career included work at the Lakeville Hospital in Lakeville, Mass., and nursing home facilities including Colonial Cottage, Meadow View, Island Terrace, Oak Hill; the Brockton VA Hospital in Brockton, Mass., Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, Calif., and North Country Home Health Agency.

In her earlier years, she greatly enjoyed antiquing, bottle digging, cross-stitch, camping, and hiking. In her later years she was prolific at crocheting, puzzles, reading, and gardening. For a time, she made beautiful dolls, with hand-stitched clothing, including angels and Santa Claus’. Everyone always remarked on Annette’s quick-witted sense of humor, and her generosity toward others. Though she and her husband Herbert Haley were divorced after 25 years of marriage, the two kept up a kind and friendly relationship until Herbert’s death in 2014 in Kingman, Ariz. The two were married on Annette’s birthday in 1950—the same day she received her baptism into the Christian United Methodist Church in Middleboro. She was later baptized in the Catholic Church, with her sister-in-law Evelyn Bartlett at her side. She carried this faith until she passed away.

Annette came from a large family: she had four brothers and three sisters and was the last of the four sisters to pass away.

Annette leaves her four children: Kenneth Haley and wife Mary of Aumsville, Or., David Haley and wife Gale of Westlake Village, Calif., Donna Jordan and husband Charles of Clarksville and Susan Haley of Colebrook. She also leaves her grandchildren: Tammy, Jeannette, Anthony, Angel, Katherine, Kristie, Michelle, Nichole, Alex, Wendy, April, Thomas, Lily. She loved each and every one of them with all her heart. She also has numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind her loving brother and sister-in-law, Basil Wade Bartlett and his wife Evelyn, her sisters-in-law Dorothy, Debbie and Roberta. She also leaves a large amount of nieces and nephews, some 70-plus great-nieces and nephews, and an untold amount of great-great nieces and nephews, as well as cousins, in-laws, and extended family. Annette adored those moments when she received a phone call or a visit from anyone and everyone in her family, always wanting updates on everyone’s lives. She is predeceased by her parents and her brothers, Errol (and his wife Thelma), Vincent and Gene, and her sisters, Lorraine (and her husband Joe), Elsie (and her husband Bob) and Joann.

Annette will be buried in the Galfre-Bartlett-Gardiner family plot at the historic Nemasket Hill Cemetery in Middleboro. The cemetery is a private burial ground and was first established in 1662—a piece of history that Annette loved about the place where she grew up. It sits near the Nemasket River, which she would often talk about. Services will be announced at a later time and anyone who knew her is welcome to attend.