Gleeful Gardener

Bartley is a Forest Hills of DC assisted living resident who is an engaging, knowledgeable and gleeful gardener. He leads the garden club once a week here which is one of our most well-attended programs. He has been gardening 60 out of his 83 years. “I gardened quite a bit during my life. I do the same here at Forest Hills,” he says. “It just takes patience, not much more than that. I love it.”

He is our Forest Hills Ambassador and connects residents to the larger community. He enjoys walking and you can find him out and about in the Forest Hills neighborhood throughout the week. Bartley is politically active and before retiring he practiced as a legislative attorney for the Teamsters Union. He earned his degree from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University.

The Importance of Family for a Gleeful Gardener

For him, the best thing that has happened in his life so far, was getting married to his wife Judy. The second-best thing that happened was his children. Bartley and his wife were married for 51 years. “We had a lot of fun. We had three great kids. Just professionally, and personally, we had a really great time,” he says.

Both of his grandparents were from Ireland. His family was from County Waterford and County Mayo there. Bartley’s daughter helped work on the Irish Good Friday Agreement in 1998. He is proud of his family and his heritage.

To read all the resident and staff stories captured as part of our public art initiative, “See Me, Hear Me: The Art of Living,” funded by AARP and in partnership with Marvin Bowser Photography, Art Against Ageism and Tenleytown Main Street, visit our digital exhibit here.

Bartley gardening at Forest Hills of DC

Bartley with his daughter

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