The NCGA Mourns the Loss of Former President Dean Bartee

August 10, 2018

The NCGA Mourns the Loss of Former President Dean Bartee

Dean Bartee, who served as NCGA President in 2006, died July 12 after a long battle with cancer.

Mr. Bartee, who was born March 15, 1932, was an avid golfer and continued to play at La Rinconada with his golf group up until last year. He also twice served twice as president of La Rinconada Country Club.

A favorite quote of his from Bobby Jones is: “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.” His favorite golf memory was “making a hole in one while playing with my son.”

Jeff Bartee says about his father, “My dad will be sorely missed by his family and the community. He was our rock and guiding light, and worked hard to support us and the community his entire life.”

Born in Donie, Texas, Dean was the middle child of Carl and Earl Lucile Bartee. His family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1942. He graduated from North Phoenix High School and attended Phoenix College.
His entire career was in the newspaper business. He started as a paper carrier at the age of 12 years old. He worked for the Republic and Gazette in Phoenix, Arizona; the Omaha World Herald in Nebraska; and joined the San Jose Mercury News (now known as The Mercury News) in 1974. He retired in 1997 as Senior Vice President of the Mercury News. During his newspaper career, he was an active member in many newspaper organizations, including the Plans Committee of the Newspaper Advertising Bureau and The International Newspaper Advertising and Marketing Executives Association, a group he served as president in 1977.

Mr. Bartee is survived by his wife, Judy Bartee; his son and daughter-in-law, Jeffrey and Deanna Bartee; his grandsons, Alexander and Christopher Bartee; his brother and sister-in-law, Earl and Betty Bartee of Sun City West, Arizona; his sister, Emily Hughes of Scottsdale, Arizona; and five nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to a memorial service at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at Saratoga Federated Church, 20390 Park Place, Saratoga. Reception will follow at La Rinconada Country Club. Memorial donations may be made in Dean’s name to the Golden Gate Silicon Valley Invitational Golf Tournament of the American Cancer Society, or Cancer CAREpoint, 2505 Samaritan Drive, San Jose, CA 95124 (cancercarepoint.org) or the charity of your choice.