BARTIG, Helene E.
Was born and raised in San Francisco to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wilkens and was the oldest of three children. Mrs. Bartig had a full and rich childhood with dance lessons, acting, piano lessons, all of which she enjoyed and excelled in. She performed as a child on stage in San Francisco, Oakland, Fresno, and Sacramento during her Christmas and summer vacations. Upon entering high school she actually started a dancing school in the basement of her San Francisco home giving lessons after school and on Saturdays.
After graduating high school in 1934, she attended Stanford University with a major in Biology - Basic Medical Science. She worked every afternoon in the laboratory with the aim to become a Medical Lab Technologist. She also continued her dancing with the honorary group "Orchesis". Upon graduation, she worked at Stanford Hospital in San Francisco and then UC Medical Center. Mrs. Bartig met Fred H. Bartig, also a Stanford graduate, on a blind date at a Stanford Alumni meeting. They soon married in 1943 and came to Sacramento where Mr. Bartig worked for the Navy as a cost inspector during the war years while Mrs. Bartig was managing the blood bank at Sutter Hospital for the war effort.
Soon thereafter two children, Ken and Lois, were born and Mr. Bartig was busy establishing his CPA career and founding the firm of Bartig, Basler and Ray while Mrs. Bartig was focused on the education and well-roundedness of her children. She encouraged and actively supported Cub Scouts, Brownies, Girl Scouts, piano, dance lessons, summer camps and many sports. PTA at California Junior High was also a priority and Mrs. Bartig was awarded a Life Membership for her involvement.
When Mrs Bartig wasn't taking care of her children and her husband, she was always involved with her hobbies of bridge, caring for her orchids, golf, oil painting and extensive traveling and photography. She was on the Stanford Alumni Board, President of the PEO Sisterhood, and forever active in her Stanford sorority of Alpha Omicron Pi. She volunteered and was an active member of AAUW, KVIE, Crocker Art Gallery, St. John's Lutheran Church, Sacramento Zoo and the Sacramento Children's Home (Casa de Los Ninos). She excelled at golf and both she and her husband were active members at Valley Hi Country Club. Her husband was a founding member of Valley Hi and on the first Board of Directors.
Mrs. Bartig battled cancer the last seven years of her life. She was mentally strong and played bridge until her passing on May 14, 2009.
Survivors are her husband Fred H. Bartig (98), son Kenneth A. Bartig of Etna, CA, daughter Lois Bartig-Small of Durango, Colorado, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Mrs Bartig will be deeply missed by many friends and family. A memorial service will be held at the Bartig home on May 24th at noon. Remembrances can be made to UC Davis Hospice or St. John's Lutheran Church.
Published in the The Sacramento Bee on 5/22/2009