Kenneth Ray Bartlett, born 8/8/43 in Conroe, TX, passed away peacefully on 4/9/23 in Azle, TX, from lung cancer, he was 79 years old.

Kenneth grew up in California and Texas, he graduated from Lynwood High School in 1961 and joined the Marines shortly thereafter, near the beginning of the Vietnam conflict. He met the mother of his first daughter before being shipped off to Okinawa, and was there until the end of his enlistment. In Okinawa he did avionics for the Marines and there deepened his lifelong love of airplanes – flying or fixing them! Ken married and welcomed his second daughter in 1969.

After his discharge, he hired on with Flying Tigers and worked for them for more than 25 years, his Tigers friends remained with him until the end. Tigers was purchased by FedEx in the late 80s, and Ken worked for them until he retired. In 1980, he and his oldest daughter moved back to Texas, where, in Boyd Texas, he found and bought his dream ranch. Ninety acres, barns, cows, tractors, and horses – definitely horses!

In Boyd, he made many new and long lasting friendships, friends that rallied for him heroically in his final months. In the 40 odd years he lived in Boyd, he raised and rode cutting horses and rode competitively, (winning buckles at US competitions AND one in Australia!)  He bought and traded classic cars – ending up with a ’34 Ford coupe in midnight blue and the El Camino he bought new in 1972 . He also took up golfing to his delight and consternation. Once his grandkids began arriving, he enjoyed showing them the ropes, literally and figuratively – teaching them to ride, getting them boots and hats, dinners at K-Bob’s and hours of Skip-Bo with cocoa.

Fiercely independent to the end, his friends and family also knew him to be both generous and stubborn!

Shortly before he died, he told his grandson, “There’s nothing for y’all to be sad about. I lived my life and did everything I wanted to do whenever I wanted to go do it. I saw my grandkids grow up, and have kids of their own. It’s my time to move on. I hope you will all do the same and always live your life the way you want it to be.”

Ken is survived by daughter, Kelly Patterson, (and husband Kevin);

daughter Brandi (Devi) Bartlett-Perez,

granddaughter Ayrika Gordon, (and husband Trevor), great-granddaughter Joelle Gordon;

granddaughter Kacey Christensen, (and husband Benton), great-grandson Leif Christensen, (and new baby girl on the way!)

and grandson Kaiser Perez, and great-granddaughter Sloan Perez.

Sister Marilyn Sherry, nephew Rusty Sherry and his family, niece Susan Bell and her family; and cousins Joellen Ballard and Rick Wood.

In lieu of flowers, if you are inclined, please make a donation in his name to truthinitiative.org an organization that seeks to prevent youth from smoking, vaping and the like and help them stop smoking etc. before it becomes a lifelong habit that they die of too soon.

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