Robert Owens Bartram, 78, of New Bern, N.C., and formerly of Temple Hills, Md., and Mount Sterling, Ky., died peacefully Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, at Craven Regional Medical Center after a short illness.
Born Feb. 23, 1938, in Huntington, W.Va., Bob was the son of the late H.R. "Roundy" and Eloise Owens Bartram. He attended Mount Sterling High School, where he lettered in football, then earned a Bachelor of Science in commerce from the University of Kentucky in 1960, where he was also a member and officer of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
Following President John F. Kennedy’s call to "ask what you can do for your country," Bob spent 30 years in public service at the U.S. Census Bureau. A member of the first computing team that helped pioneer databases and computer-aided statistics, Bartram took foreign assignments in Rio de Janeiro and Paris before leading and growing the International Statistical Programs into a worldwide-admired innovation center that developed software, such as a pre-cursor to PowerPoint, trained more than 10,000 foreign census specialists and provided services to 64 countries. Before retiring in 1991, he headed up the 1990 Decennial Census for Micronesia.
Retiring to New Bern, Bartram started a 25-year second career in real estate, becoming an owner of Century 21 Action Associates before merging with Century 21 Zaytoun-Raines. A top broker, Bartram launched the first Realtor website in New Bern, which also promoted the city as a stellar tourist and retirement destination, and mentored many new Realtors. An active member of the Greenbrier community, Bob spearheaded the creation of the Greenbrier Property Owners' Association. A lifelong avid golfer, he played in the Brazil Open and was a senior club champion at The Emerald golf course.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Patricia (Biggerstaff) Bartram; children, Robert Christopher "Chris" Bartram of Springfield, Va., Michele Bartram of Alexandria, Va., and Kevin Bartram of Fredericksburg, Va.; grandsons, Nicholas and William Bartram; brother, David Bartram of Fernandina Beach; sister, Suzanne Reynolds of Charleston, S.C.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A public visitation will be held at Cotten Funeral Home, 2201 Neuse Blvd., New Bern, on Monday, Feb. 6, from 12:30-1:30 p.m., followed immediately by a memorial service at 1:30. A private burial for close family will be held afterward at Greenleaf Memorial Park, 900 River Road in New Bern.
Family and friends are invited to share their favorite stories about Bob on the Cotten Funeral Home website, www.cottenfuneralhome.com, under “Obituaries.”
A lifelong champion of those in need, Bob had asked that in lieu of flowers, family and friends make a donation to Habitat for Humanity in his name (800-422-4828 or www.habitat.org/donate) and do an unexpected act of kindness for someone else.
Arrangements by Cotten Funeral Home & Crematory, (252) 637-3181, New Bern.
Cotten Funeral Home & Crematory, New Bern, N.C.