R. Virginia Bartelt

Virginia (nee Dhein) Bartelt, 101, died peacefully in the early morning of July 4, 2023 with the full moon shining down on her after a long, sweet and happy life. She was born on 2/22/22 in Kiel, WI to Andrew and Anna (Michels) Dhein.

Virginia was born during an historic ice storm. The physician who attended her birth would always remember her as "the Dunder und Blitzen Baby".  Her life was calmer after that, as she grew up on her family's farm, playing in the granary and making treks to the bittersweet patch with her girlfriends. Virginia was fascinated with the moon, and her mother called it "Virginia's Moon." Just down the road, a boy, Melvin Bartelt, was also growing up exploring the wilds of the Kiel Marsh and frequenting the Dhein farm. The Dhein family was devoutly Catholic and Virginia's faith would be a constant and central part of her life.

Virginia attended Kiel High School, graduating in 1940 as valedictorian.  The highlight of her school days was the day her classmate, Melvin Bartelt, asked her to the prom.  She then attended St. Agnes School of Nursing in Fond du Lac, WI, graduating in 1943 as a Registered Nurse. Virginia went on to work at hospitals in Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Madison and Appleton.

On May 26, 1947, Virginia married Melvin Bartelt and they would go on to have an extraordinarily happy marriage for nearly 70 years. They raised 4 children as loving and generous parents.  Once the kids were older, Virginia worked for many years at Appleton Extended Care Center nursing home, from which she retired in 1982.

After retirement, Virginia's desire to care for others continued and she became a Theda Care Hospice Volunteer. She served for 22 years and found it to be the most rewarding work she had done.

Virginia and Melvin enjoyed traveling in retirement. They also attended their standing class reunions every year until 2012 when they waited at the usual spot and no one else showed up. In their usual fashion, they got a chuckle out of that. Virginia went on to be the last surviving member of her high school class.

Virginia's modest, good natured and loving presence will be deeply missed by her children Mary (Antonio Veloso) Bartelt of Swansea, MA; Tim Bartelt of Appleton, WI, and Betsy (Matt Welter) Bartelt of Appleton, WI.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband Melvin E. Bartelt, her son Michael Bartelt, grandson Andrew Veloso; and her siblings Genrose Miller, Francis W. Dhein and Grace Dhein.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Virginia will be at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 1810 N. McDonald Street in Appleton on Tuesday July 11, 2023 at 11:00am with Father Larry Seidl officiating. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 10 to 11:00am at the church. Interment will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Appleton.