(From Meadors Funeral Home)
Louis Earl Bartholomew of Springfield, MO, went home to be with his Lord on Monday, October 25, 2022, at the age of 82. Louis the Earl of Bartholomew was born on “The Farm” 4 miles northwest of Erie, Kansas at 10:00 p.m. on Monday, January 22, 1940, and the world has never been the same since!
The outside temperature was about zero and the wind was blowing. The wood burning stove in the “front room” did not keep the back bedroom warm. It was told that the pot under the bed had ice on it.
Born the 4th of 8 children, into the Christian home of Boyd and Hilma Bartholomew, Louis would proclaim that he had a happy childhood and the best parents in the world. We had everything but money.
After graduating from Pittsburg (KS) State College in 1961, Louis had a number of jobs during his “growing years”. He was a schoolteacher at Minden Mines, MO for 1 year and at LaHarpe, KS for 2 years. He spent the next 10 years in Kansas City where he was a Commercial Credit Collector, Office Manager for a division of General Dynamics. Owner, with a partner, of a small distribution company and a Comptroller of a medium sized manufacturing company.
In 1973 he and his family moved back to his hometown and opened a counter seat full-service family restaurant. He said he made good money, but never worked so hard in his life.
After selling the restaurant he worked construction for his brother George for several years before the recession of 1983 made it difficult to maintain work. During these years he was twice elected Mayor of the City. He was President of Kansas Mayors Association for 1 year as well. The city was never the same again.
That was when he went to Tulsa and began selling Medicare Supplement Insurance. It was during this short tender in Tulsa that he met Fran. “Come grow old with me – the best is yet to be”
He moved to Springfield in 1984 and went to work for his old college roommate, Charles Thomison, from 27 years before. At last, he had found his niche in the insurance business. He and Fran continued making trips from Tulsa to Springfield to see each other.
He and Fran were married in Hawaii in 1986, and they have lived in Springfield all of their 36 years of marriage. Fran said she married him “because he made me laugh”
He was a longtime member of the Springfield Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. He served on the Board of Directors for several years. In 1996, he earned his membership into the exclusive Million Dollar Roundtable for a year. He was named Springfield Agent of the year in 2006, by SAIFA. He retired at the end of 2009 after 26 years in the business.
Louis was saved as a teenager at Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church, church camp. In 1995 Louis and Fran traveled with a church group to the Holy Land where he and Fran were baptized together in the River Jordan. He was never the same after that experience.
Louis was very active in his church and even served in several positions, as a Trustee, Sunday School Superintendent, Finance Chairman and Sunday School Teacher. He enjoyed teaching the life histories of the Bible characters. Particularly Paul and David.
He was pretty close with the “buck” unless it was with something he really wanted to do, like taking each grandchild to a Disney Park or taking all the kids and their spouses on a cruise. He and Fran loved to travel. Louis said several times that there was no place in this world he would not go to. Together they traveled all 50 states, 6 Canadian provinces and 4 Mexican states. They have taken 14 cruises, 8 trips to Europe and have been to 38 countries on 5 ½ continents… you’ll have to ask the story on that one.
Louis was in good health until the last 25 years, when COPD began to pull him down. On October 25th he brought his wit, charm, and phenomenal sense of humor to those Heavenly Gates, and his friends and family will never be the same again.
He is preceded in death by his Daddy Boyd in 1987, his mother Hilma in 2009 and by 4 brothers: Johnie in 1940, George in 1984, Boyd Lee in 1987 and Walter in 1999, as well as his best friend and business partner, Charles Thomison.
He is survived by his gracious wife Fran, of the home, their four children: Douglas Bartholomew of Topeka, Terri Wendlandt and husband John of Topeka, Shiela Thomas and husband Jeff of Springfield, and Dana Glenn and wife Sheila of Tulsa, sister Ruth Ellen Simpson and husband Michael of Pittsburg, brother Thomas Bartholomew and wife Terri of Erie, sister Nancy Kernick and Joe of Chanute, sister-in-law Janice Billue and husband Larry of Tulsa, Terri and Douglas’ mother Nancy Bartholomew survives in Topeka and there are many other nieces, nephews, in-laws and close friend.
A Visitation will be held on Friday, October 28, 2022, from 10 – 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Brookline prior to “The Farewell Party”, which will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Brookline Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Louis’ memory, to First Baptist Church of Brookline.
