Robert (“Bob”) Benjamin Bartgis, 89, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully January 3, 2018 at the Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg.

He was born September 6, 1928 in Jones Spring, Berkeley County, the son of the late Granville Clinton Bartgis and Virginia Files Hiett. He is survived at their Hedgesville home by his cherished wife of 67 years, Retha M. Myers, whom he married on July 31, 1950.

He is also survived by his sons Robert Michael Bartgis and wife, Denise, and Rodney L. Bartgis and wife Debra, grandchildren Rachel Bartgis and husband, Will Knight, and Robert Stefan Bartgis, and brother John Bartgis and wife, Ruth, and in-laws Carol, Saralie, and Sherry Bartgis, Byron and Mary Myers, and Charlotte Wood, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his sister Beatrice Noll and brothers Garland (“Mule”), Jim, Max, and Lyle.

He was a graduate of Hedgesville High School (1946) and Shepherd College (1953) and did graduate studies at West Virginia University. He served in the U.S. Air Force Air Weather Service with duty stations in the Aleutians, Montana, and Bermuda, was employed at the Engineering Photography Section of Fairchild Aircraft, and spent many summers with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources supervising youth work programs at Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area. He retired from the Berkeley County Board of Education, having taught science and social studies at Musselman High, Marlowe Elementary, and North Martinsburg Middle Schools.

He was a member of the Tomahawk Presbyterian Church for 75 years, where he was an elder, Clerk of the Session for many years, Sunday School teacher, treasurer, and member of the choir. He helped build the church pavilion and classrooms and did most of the stonework on the north side of the addition. He built the vestibule to the church including the beautiful stone work. He was Trustee of the Tomahawk Cemetery, past president and charter member of the Tomahawk Ruritan Club, and member of Berkeley County Retired School Employees, Berkeley County Historical Society, and The Nature Conservancy of West Virginia.
Bob was well-known for his devotion to family, church, and community, and his extensive knowledge of farming, gardening, the outdoors, natural history, and local history. He enjoyed sharing his stories of growing up in a log cabin on Wilson’s Ridge, times past in Back Creek Valley, hunting turkeys, bobcats, and deer (killing an eight-point buck at the age of 83). He lived a long life well.

The family would like to thank the staff of Winchester Internal Medicine, Berkeley Medical Center, and Clary Grove of West Virginia, plus Frank Stillwell, Shirley and Terry McDaniel, members of the Tomahawk Presbyterian Church, family members, and many other friends, for their help, love, and care.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Cemetery Fund of the Tomahawk Presbyterian Church, PO Box 2204, Hedgesville, WV 25427.

Family will receive friends on Tuesday January 9, 2018 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Brown’s Funeral Home, Martinsburg. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 2018, at 12:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Martinsburg, with the Rev. John Cushwa and Rev. Rufus Burton officiating. Guests are invited to join the family at the church after the service for a meal celebrating Bob’s life.

Interment with military honors will be at the Tomahawk Presbyterian Cemetery.

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