BARTLETT, MARY THERESA

Mary Theresa Bartlett was born in Hawera in 1893, the daughter of James and Jane Bartlett nee de Castro.

Mary devoted much of her time to the activities of St Joseph’s Catholic Church, and became secretary of St Joseph’s Tennis Club at its inception in 1930, also of the Taranaki Catholic Lawn Tennis Club at its inception in 1938, being a life member of both, and also of the New Zealand Catholic Lawn Tennis Association, for which she organised the 1945-46 championships at Hawera.

For more than 20 years, Mary was secretary of the church’s beneficent St Vincent de Paul Society through which she had close contact with people in all walks of life in times of need or distress.  She was president of the Children of Mary Society.

In the wider community, Mary gave service during the war years and up to her death was secretary of the Hawera Red Cross Sub-Centre and did valuable work for the Voluntary Aid Detachment and the joint council of the Order of St John and Red Cross.

Mary worked for thirty years for Harrops Ltd (now Cornish’s).

Mary Theresa Butler died on the 7 January 1951 at Hawera at 58 years, and is buried at the Hawera cemetery.

SOURCE

Obituary “Hawera Star” 8 Jan 1951