John Bartlett was born in Pinner in England. In 1947 he emigrated with his parents to Durban. His father became a race horse owner, which encouraged John's early interest in animals and veterinary work. John attended DPHS before arriving at DHS:
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At DHS his favourite subjects were biology and English. John had an amiable demeanour and quiet charm, and was very well known and liked. He was a keen runner and was a member of the school athletic team.
In 1973 John married Geraldine Oldfield, a pharmacist:
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They had two children, a son Michael in 1978 and a daughter Lindsay in 1982.
After their marriage John and Geraldine moved to the UK, where John worked briefly for the RSPCA in London. They then returned to South Africa, where John became a State Veterinarian in the Durban and Natal Coastal areas. John had always had a keen interest in history, so he enrolled part time at the University of Natal in Durban and took a BA in the subject, with distinction.
In 1979 John embarked on a new career with international pharmaceutical companies. At Wellcome he specialized in animal health, and then, after being transferred to Johannesburg, he worked at Adcock Ingram and Merck in various commercial, marketing, and scientific capacities. To hone his skills, he also took a part-time MBA degree from the University of Witwatersrand Business School:
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For many years John travelled extensively on behalf of his employers, including Pfizer South Africa where he was Director of Business Planning and Development. He eventually retired from this position in 2007, but set up his own part-time healthcare consultancy company.
John was a man with wide interests. He had a lifelong admiration for Winston Churchill, and in fact paid for his engagement ring with the handsome prize money from a radio quiz on Churchill's life! He was an expert in naval history, with extensive knowledge of 20th century naval vessels and battles. He always maintained a lively interest in politics and world affairs. He loved to travel:
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John was also an avid sports fan (and longstanding follower of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club) and he was a regular gym-goer and jogger well into his seventies.
John relished the English language and read widely -- and then wrote a novel of his own! His book, a medical thriller called Double Blind (2023) drew on his medical knowledge and his world travels, and gained an excellent response -- he received 100% 5- star reviews on Amazon:
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John was very much a family family, devoted to his wife Geraldine and intensely proud of his children. Here's a photo of the family group in 2023, on the 50th anniversary of the marriage:
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(From the left: Michael, John and Geraldine, Lindsay, Lindsay's husband Dylan, and then the grandchildren Miles, Andrew, and Amelia.)
John was a great supporter of the Class of 1961 activities. As soon as he heard about the new website for our class, in 2010, he offered to help with its development, and became the industrious co-administrator of the site for the next 15 years. John was also a major mover of our international reunions. Here he is South Africa in 2011, with Alan Poorter:
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And in Morocco in 2018, with Neil Levy in a hot air balloon over Marrakech:
and in Israel in 2002, at one of our group meals:
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John's quiet organizational efficiency made these experiences all the more enjoyable for the participants.
John had seemed to be in excellent health when he unexpectedly became ill in early 2024 with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and aplastic anemia. This is a rare bone marrow disease that compromises the production of blood cells, and with it the ability to resist bleeding, fatigue, and infections. For the following year John was in and out of hospital, sometimes weekly, for transfusions and other medical interventions. He bore all these trials with great spirit and courage, but in April 2025 he was admitted to hospital with a serious lung infection. After two weeks in the ICU he seemed to be recovering, but he then contracted a new infection and passed away on 25 April 2025.
John Bartlett is survived by Geraldine, his wife of 51 years; his son Michael; his daughter Lindsay and her husband Dylan; and his grandchildren Amelia, Miles, and Andrew.
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David Douglas
Prior to the Israel trip I knew John, but not well. He was known among us as a most competent and likeable man, and the co-founder with Ian of our excellent Class of 61 website. But it was while in Israel that I got to chat with John and learnt about his character, his interests and indeed the interesting life he had led to that point. He told me that he was working on a novel drawn from his vast experience in the Pharma industry. After the trip we kept in touch. I read Double Blind very soon after it was published and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was of a standard that would have made it an international bestseller had the name on the cover been one of the well known authors. In late 2024, the first inkling I had that his health was troubling him was when he said that he did not have the energy to aggressively market the book. But other than that, he was always cheerful and positive and didn’t let on how he was feeling. His health deteriorated this year but I had not realised the seriousness of it. The news of Johns death came as a real shock.
A fine man and one who was widely respected and very well liked. My sincere condolences to Geraldine, Michael and Lindsay who will miss him immensely.
RIP John.
Ian Robertson
John Bartlett and I became good friends from third form in 1958. One interest we had in common was a love of animals. John had access to the horses in this father's stables but he lived in a flat in the Gables building, which restricted pet ownership. I lived in a house with a garden, so John was intrigued by my menagerie of hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, and a dog. Also, both sets of parents had lived in England during World War 2, and they transmitted to us their ardent admiration for Winston Churchill. John and I could growl chunks of Churchillian oratory by heart, and we both agreed that Winston Churchill was the greatest man who ever lived.
As happened with most of our classmates, we lost touch after school for almost 50 years. But as soon as John learned about a new class website and a possible 50 year reunion, he volunteered to help in any way he could. He became co-administrator of the website for the next 15 years. He also did splendid work in tracking down our missing classmates, and in organizing our major reunions as well as some regional activities. During this time John and I were constantly in touch with each other, and we met several times when one or other of us was travelling abroad. Over these years I came to a renewed admiration for John's many qualities. John was just a really nice person. His open and friendly manner made him instantly likeable and instantly trustworthy. He was always cheerful, helpful, and kindly. He had an even-tempered, rational mind and a sharp intelligence. He was quietly competent at whatever tasks he undertook. HIs death is a great loss to the Class of 1961 and a profound loss to me personally.
Friends and family have been shattered by the rapid decline of this man who just a year ago seemed to be in excellent health. But although John's life was cut short at a mere 80 years of age, it was an unusually good life -- richly lived and well rounded in the spheres of family, work, and play.
Go well, John. You were one of our best.
(As for Churchill, 67 long years have passed since our youthful enthusiasm for our hero, and in that time John and I accumulated a great deal of the worldly knowledge, experience, and wisdom that we lacked in youth. In one of our last conversations we discussed Churchill again, and we heartily agreed once more: Yes, Winston Churchill was the greatest man who ever lived!)
Mike Johnston
I was saddened to learn of the passing on of John to greener pastures. John was a very pleasant and dedicated person, and a foundation cornerstone of the" Class of '61. My condolences to the Family. RIP.
Lee Irvine
There is not much to add that has not already very eloquently been written.
Suffice to say, John was one of the best. Highly intelligent, he was a properly decent and good guy who always put others before himself, efficiently and modestly.
It was a privilege getting to know him better during our various get togethers and for that huge thanks to Ian and Jonathan who made it happen. John just made it better.
We all now have fond memories of one of our classmates who will forever be remebered for his outstanding attributes.
RIP John.
Henry Aitken
I was deeply shocked to learn of the death of John. We first met when we attended DPHS (Prep) in 1953. We both had an interest in maritime affairs. He lived with his parents in the Gables on the Esplanade. We spent many hours sailing our yachts on the bay just over the road from the flats. We also spent time constructing ship models. After school as is often the case we lost touch. It was only in 2011 that John contacted me regarding the 50th reunion. We reminisced about our lives but it was only at the Morocco reunion that we had a chance to really catch up on our lives. It was greet to see him again on the Israel trip and again reminiscing. It was a great pleasure to know him and he will be greatly missed. Sincere condolences to Geraldine and the family.
Stuart Russell
As Lee said there is not a lot to add to the moving comments already posted about John and his sad passing. I never knew him well while at DHS and my first real involvement with him began with the 2011 Durban reunion and the ones that followed.
None of us would have those wonderful worldwide memories without the group that made them possible and John's organizational contribution to make those that he was involved with work like clockwork which they absolutely did, was appreciated by all of us who had the pleasure of participating in them.
In Jerusalem he and I had a lengthy discussion about Double Blind and his passion for wanting to write it drawing on his experience in the pharmaceutical industry. We spoke when he as back in SA after it was published and he mentioned how excited he was that it was on the shelves at Exclusive Books in SA. Another lasting memory he left behind.
I was shocked to learn of his passing. He will be sadly missed.
A life well traveled John. Sincere condolences to his wife and family.
Richard Bell
Sunday afternoon, 18 May 2025
Have just watched the memorial service for John. A well-put-together video of the service in Sandton. There were thirteen viewers online.
A fitting send-off for a first-class man. We will miss you, John. Our deepest sympathy to Geraldine & the family.
Richard & Fiona.
Christopher Harris
Janet and I watched the service with a good deal of emotion. We felt for John's family who would have listened to or delivered those splendid tributes with feelings of sadness, but also of great pride and thanksgiving. John clearly lived life to the full, excelled at everything he put his hands or feet to, yet remained humble and always a gentleman.. As we watched and listened with, apparently 220 others plus the large congregation, I was aware that though I had also attended DPHS and, of course, a few years at DHS, I had not known John. I realised, as I listened to the tributes, that that was my loss, as he might have taught me some very useful life skills that, instead, took me several years to acquire. His intense curiosity about the people and the world around him led him to explore what they offered him. Who else, after accumulating a bagful of qualifications would decide to acquire a history degree "for fun?" After listening to the well-earned tributes, I wished that I had known him during our school days. Owing mostly to the lack of modern commiunication technology, most of us lost contact for half a century. It was only due to the superhuman efforts of Ian and John in creating the Class-of-61 website that old friendships were restored. More importantly, the various reunions not only rekindled those friendships but also created opportunities for new friendships to be formed. We owe a lot to the two gentlemen. Without their persistent and ingenious efforts we would still be strangers. We were reminded during the service how important these friendships have become. As Janet remarked, after first meeting John in Morocco and later in Israel and getting to know him, John was one of the good men of this world. He was warm, friendly, amusing, quietly entertaining and supremely efficient. It was good to see so many paying their respects either in the congregation or online. We were delighted to recognise classmates and wives in the congregation and were sure there must have been meany more making good use of the streamed provision, thankful for modern electronics that allowed us to participate.. Again, we're offer our sincere condolences to all the family and to all John's close friends. Rest in peace, John,
Robert D'Aubrey
I was saddened to hear or Johns passing,he was one or lifes gentlemen.I greatly admired Johns involvement and enthusiam,as the co-administrator with Ian of the DHS 61' Website. On the unforgetable trip to israel he told Jane and i that his book ''Double Blind ''was about to be published,what an achievement !,it has even been circulating in the Eshowe and District book club !! Our sincere condolences to Geraldine and family.
Adrian Tronson
At School I barely knew John, since he was in one of the science/biology forms. I encountered him in groups and randomly on the grounds, or passing by in corridors before or after school and at cadet parades. We often greeted each other but I knew nothing about him, except his name and that he seemed a friendly chap. Reading the obituaries on the 'In memory...' column, I see that some of you knew him in that way as well. Only half a century later, with the 2011 celebration in Durban, did I get to know him. John was always on hand to give advice, information, and, generally, to let one know where everyone was and to give directions and a digest of the day's proceedings.
I do have one contribution to his biography. In Tel Aviv after that wonderful first day in ancient Joppa, I felt extremely tired, feverish and washed out and the next two days I had to back out of the trips up north. I tracked down John early that morning and gave him my apologies for dropping out and asked him to notify Ian. The next day I felt worse but on Thursday I'd recovered enough to get to Jerusalem, determined not to miss the next day's excursion to the Old City which I had longed to see all my life.
After the fascinating visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the amazing tunnels under the Herodian walls, everyone went off to find lunch but I only wanted to get under a tree and doze in the shade until the bus taking us to Mt. Scopus/Olivet arrived. On my way to the gate, I took a wrong turn onto the Via Dolorosa and wandered around trying to find the gate by which we had entered. After buying masses of pretty, bright, local things from insistant vendors, not having the energy to resist, I found the gate by which we'd entered. As I tottered down the ramp I was again surrounded by vendors selling postcards, novelties and more pretty, bright things. There were at least three men who seemed to be closing in on me, waving various wares in front of me and I felt even more uncomfortable. Then John suddenly was at my side, advising me to ignore them and he politely but firmly brushed them off. I had no idea where he had come from but he escorted me safely to the bus. When we had parked at the viewsite opposite to the Hebrew University, I finally saw the road from Joppa along which, according to Josephus, Alexander marched with his army and the Jews and Levites ran forth from the Gates to meet him. Thank you, John!
John was one of the mainstays of the 'Club of of 2011' and subsequent gatherings. I regret having procrastinated in ordering his recent book and getting him to autograph it. I was surprised to find out that he was a historian, author, quiz wiz and world traveller as well. But I have a strong feeling that we will all meet him again, as we sail westward, beyond the White Rocks and on to the Isles of the Blessed.
Sympathies to all his family and to all of us who knew the privilege of his company, intelligence and innate kindness.