Dr. R. Earl Bartley

ROBERT EARL BARTLEY III, M.D. R. EARL BARTLEY III, M.D. was born Friday, September 29, 1961, in Lynchburg, Virginia, to Robert Earl II and Olis Bartley. “Earl,” as he was called by family and friends, was a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1979-1983). In 1987, Earl earned his Doctorate of Medicine from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. This Veteran served as a Major in the United States Army Reserve (1990-2001). In 1992, Earl completed his Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Northwestern University. A year later, he completed his Fellowship in Joint Replacement at Emory University. For over 20 years, Earl practiced Orthopedic Surgery and since 2016, worked with OhioHealth Orthopedic Surgeons in Columbus, Ohio. Named one of Columbus Monthly’s Top Doctors in Columbus and Central Ohio, Earl specialized in hip and knee replacements and total joint and arthritis surgery. A sports enthusiast since high school, Earl played varsity soccer and lacrosse at Harrisburg Academy and excelled in lacrosse at MIT. His love of athletics inspired him to establish the New Albany Youth Lacrosse Association. Recently, in 2019, he helped to found the Urban Lacrosse Academy to support youth in Central Ohio. Earl was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan and also embraced and followed international soccer. Everyone that loved him knew that Earl’s mood was dictated by whether his teams won or lost. Earl and Trudy’s sons, Chris and Tyler, were his pride and joy. He loved being with his sons from the time they were born through every stage of their lives. As young adults, you would often hear how he was “hanging out” with them. He was proud of their professional accomplishments and how each son had chosen a lovely and smart young woman as their life companion. With the arrival of his cherished granddaughter, Parker, Earl knew he had a Steelers fan in the making! Earl made connections and friends from all walks of life. All that knew him recognized his brilliance, down to earth nature, and zest for life. He is remembered for his generosity; offering his ear, his time, and financial support for close friends and family to achieve their dreams. A lover of travel, his family’s vacation history started with annual trips to Hilton Head and apexed with the engagement of his son, Christopher, in Bordeaux, France. Earl shared his appreciation for “living the good life,” collecting fabulous art, and refining his love of food and wine by sponsoring friend and family trips to Cabo, Europe, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Accompanying him on these and all life’s journeys was his beautiful, best friend, and wife, Trudy Preston Bartley. While Earl’s professional authorship includes numerous medical publications, Earl’s love for movies naturally translated to an affinity for storytelling and writing. His family continues to uncover creative writing manuscripts and working drafts of books and scripts, some of which are in pre-production stages. Earl had a wry, wicked sense of humor and was the quintessential movie buff — nothing compared to his pride in his movie knowledge. From obscure film noir to Monty Python, he could out-quote anyone. His sons recall a favorite from Caddyshack, “…. ‘Oh, uh, there won’t be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.’ So I’ve got that goin’ for me … which is nice.” - Bill Murray as Carl Spackler. Earl, age 59, passed away on Monday, August 16, 2021. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Earl II and younger brother, Lloyd Phynnizy Bartley. Earl is survived by his mother, Olis Bartley of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; wife of 33 years, Trudy Bartley; sons, Tyler Bartley (Anna Christian) and Chris (Amanda) Bartley; granddaughter, Parker Bartley; brother-in-law, William (Linda Tucker, Esq.) Preston, Esq.; nieces, Amber Charles, Jessica Preston, and Joanna Preston; loving aunts and uncles, other extended family members, and cherished friends. Please consider a charitable contribution to the Dr. R. Earl Bartley, III Urban Lacrosse Fund, which will be administered via The Columbus Foundation (1234 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43205, attention: Steven Moore). These funds will support grassroots efforts to spread Earl’s love of lacrosse and generate college scholarships for young athletes. Acknowledgements and Appreciation We, the family of Dr. R. Earl Bartley III, wish to acknowledge, with deep appreciation, the many expressions of love, concern, and kindness shown to us during this time of bereavement. The family offers special thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at OhioHealth Orthopedic, where he practiced, and special recognition of those in Grant Medical Center - ICU who took great care of Earl throughout his final weeks.