Bart Williams was born on September 10th, 1974 and passed away on December 8th, 2012 at the age of 38. He was born in Oregon and also lived in Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina, and California during his life. He was well-liked in his communities and schools. Bart enjoyed many hobbies and activities including soccer, swimming, and scouting. He attended the University of Virginia and had many fond memories of the places he lived. Many people who knew Bart shared memories and expressed their sadness at his passing.

1. Bartholomew Paul Williams
September 10th, 1974-
December 8th, 2012

10. Bart was baptized on
May 15th, 1977

11. Of all the places he lived, Oregon,
Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina,
California was his favorite.

12. Bart was a son….

23. There were those who took
care of him as their own.

24. Bart was a brother…

36. Bart was a grandson…

42. Bart was a nephew…

44. Bart was an uncle…

46. Bart was a cousin…

50. Bart was a friend…

52. And all of us loved him.

53. Bart liked to learn...
His school pictures showed off his
“preppy” style and wonderful smile.

65. He looked
forward to
being all
that he
could be
there.
He worked hard in community college to transfer to
the University of Virginia

66. He was a proud member of his fraternity.

67. Eta Sigma Chapter

71. Bart was very athletic.

74. He loved soccer.

78. He was active in scouts as a young boy.

82. Bart was an avid swimmer and
swim instructor.

83. Christmas was his favorite holiday.

90. He treasured the houses he grew up in and
the memories they held.

91. El Cajon, California

92. Portland, Oregon
Cheltenham Rd.

93. Brush Creek Blvd.
Kansas City, Missouri

94. San Francisco was his favorite city.
He hoped to return there after completing his second master’s
degree.

95. He loved his family.

102. You have joined the ancestors.

103. We miss you, but take heart in that
you are no longer suffering.

104. I remember Bart’s smile and laugh so vividly. He was unlike anyone else,
especially at Lincoln HS…I’m very sad to hear that he won’t be out proving
himself right anymore. He is missed…even by those of us who lost touch.
Brooke H.

105. I was good friends with Bart in high school. We wrote to each other
when he moved away from Oregon. He was a very kind, funny and
smart. We lost contact after when he went off to college and always
wondered how he was doing. I am very shocked at this news. I am so
sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and your family.
Veronica

106. I remember Bart from UVa. I was a class
or two ahead of him. Good dude. Please
know that Bart wasn’t the only one who
dealt with this condition.
David C.

107. Bart and I went to high school together. We didn’t hang out with the same
group of friends; I was shy and really disliked high school, and wasn’t
very social. Despite not really knowing each other, your brother often
joked around with me in the halls before class, and was always ready
with an enthusiastic hello. Maybe he realized I could use a little help
lightening up, or laughing a bit? And he always made me laugh. He was
so bright, enthusiastic and outgoing.
It is with such sorrow that I learn here that his promising life, despite it’s
struggles, was cut short. How senseless, how stupid, and how wrong to
have lost Bart in this way. I sincerely hope you and your family find the
answers you deserve.
Grace P.

108. I heard this news last night and my heart just sunk. Bart was a
great childhood friend growing up going to school at Robert
Grey and Lincoln High in Portland. Upon hearing the news I
was flooded with memories of the fun we used to have as if
they had just happened.
Kevin C.

109. Bart was a great guy and good friend during the brief few
years i knew him. We met on the freshman soccer team and
became friends. We spent many hours out on the tennis courts
together! I could always tell he would quickly surpass my
skills through his fiery competitiveness and determination.
We watched Eddie Murphy’s SNL VHS over and over. We
attended the Bell Biv Devoe concert at the Memorial
Coliseum! BBD!
I’ll always remember the great times spent with Bart! It was a
sad day when your family moved from Portland. Tough to
stay in touch in the olden days of snail mail but Bart left a
mark on everyone he knew here in Portland and will be
missed. Love to your entire family.
Mike C.

110. I went to Lincoln Portland with Bart, and we would still write letters
to each other when he moved to KC and to UVA. This was before emailing
and we sent High School in handwritten letters and small gifts to each other.
And then I never heard from him again. For 18 years I wondered about my
friend and wasn’t able to find a contact for him. And now I know what
happened 18 years ago.
This summer I spent hours searching for him on-line so I could ask him to
attend our 20th high school reunion. I never found a way to get in touch with
him and I was always surprised that his name didn’t pop up as I knew him as
ambitious and out-going and thought for sure he was successful. I wondered
if he had passed away. I missed him for all these years and now I regret not
trying harder to find you or your other sister or parents. We scanned in his
senior picture, that he had sent me as he didn’t graduate with us, into our
video montage that played during the reunion. People asked where he was,
but no one knew.
Bart, you are loved and missed by your old school friends. We will never
forget you, friend.
Alexa S. J.

111. Bart & I had a rather lengthy virtual connection, i.e. telephone & email,
before we actually met in person. And I can remember that first meeting very
clearly because when I saw him I was immediately struck by how much he
looked like you, Barbara! Of course when I pointed this out he looked
heavenward and said something like ‘I hear that all the time”. Prior to our
face-to-face meeting Bart and I had talked quite a bit about preservation, but I
think he became even more enthusiastic about working with us when he saw
our lab – complete with huge pieces of equipment, smaller hand tools, and
even needles and thread – and we agreed on a start date.
One of the first things I learned about Bart was his respect for time. From day
one, he was punctual except for a couple times when ‘his driver’ (who shall
remain nameless!) was running late. But when that happened, he always
insisted on taking a shorter lunch, or working a few minutes longer in order
to make up the time. Such was his level of commitment, even as an unpaid
volunteer! I didn’t learn about this until after the fact, but apparently when
Bart came to meet with me he caused quite a stir on the floor! And a few days
after he started to work with us, and I had a whole set of ladies on the floor
asking who was this ‘gorgeous’ young man – I understood why! I don’t ever
remember having so many people, ah women, dreaming up reasons to pass
by the preservation department! But the funniest thing was that Bart was
totally oblivious to all of this bustling! He was in the zone; focusing on the
job at hand! Because, as I came to understand, that’s who he was. He had a
job to do, and that’s what he focused on. Cont’d

112. One of the first preservation techniques Bart was trained in was sewing pamphlets into hard
cover binders, so his capacity to fully concentrate was a great asset and resulted in more well-executed
work and probably fewer needle pricks too.
Much of our work in the preservation department is pretty repetitive, and this really seemed to bring out
Bart’s competitive nature! He probably asked everyone in the department how many pamphlets one
should be able to complete in a certain time frame. While I didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm, I did
have a couple of conversations with him about this, and encouraged him to think about quality vs
quantity. I think I was able to convince him that in this context his only competition is himself.
Bart volunteered with me for only one summer, but his contribution was enormous. Not only did his
work
help to advance the Preservation Department’s mission but, more importantly, it assisted in ensuring that
UCR Libraries’ circulating materials are available, in useable condition for current and future scholars
and researchers. Bart was an enthusiastic ‘student’, a devoted librarian and, above all – a polite and
courteous gentleman. Although he is no longer with us, I know that heaven has added another librarian.
Patricia Smith-Hunt, Ph.D.
Head, Preservation Services Department
University Libraries
University of California, Riverside

113. Please know that people who REALLY knew him have nothing but
kind thoughts about him.
We are MORE than a diagnosis or a newspaper article. I loved your
brother for my first 2 years of college, and send you my sincere
thoughts and prayers.
Erica S.

114. A prayer for Bart:
May the long time sun
Shine upon you,
All love surround you,
And the pure light within you
Guide your way on.
-Irish farewell blessing

115. Bart’s favorite photo of himself

116. bpw