Stanley A. Bartus M.D.

June 21, 2019

Caring for others in every moment of his life, Stanley Anthony Bartus, 86, entered eternal rest on June 21, 2019. The only child of Polish natives Catherine Zastawna and Anthony Bartus, Stan was a first generation child who grew up in Hartford and graduated from SS Cyril and Methodius School, St. Thomas Seminary, Fairfield University and Saint Louis University School of Medicine. During his internship in St. Louis, registered nurse Margaret “Mickey” Vyverman plotted to catch Stan’s attention by lending him a fountain pen. The borrowed pen was returned, but soon sprung a leak that ruined Mickey’s white uniform and prompted her to demand recompense from this young doctor. It was a debt he happily paid for years to come. The couple fell in love, raised a family, and Stan and Mickey celebrated 60 years of marriage this year. Stan returned to his hometown in Connecticut for a residency with his bride from Taylorville, Illinois, and then began his practice at Hartford Hospital. His 40-year career had a turning point in 1971 when Stan left the tutelage of Dr. Joseph Pyrtek and joined Dr. Robert Schweitzer to together establish the renal transplantation program. The rest of his career was dedicated to the Hartford Hospital transplant program and when he retired, he had saved and offered hope and second chances to hundreds patients. Surgery was his second love. His first was his family. His wife, six children, their spouses, and his fifteen grandchildren were his raison d’etre. He leaves his children Elizabeth “Beth” Cahill and her husband Jeff of Bloomfield, Ct, Anastasia and her husband Kenny of Winchester, Ct, Matthew Bartus and his wife May of Burlingame, CA, Christine Bartus, M.D., and her husband Clark Finley of West Hartford, Ct, Mary Katherine “Kate” McHugh and her husband Brian of West Hartford, Ct, and Stephanie Lesnik and her husband Greg of Madison, Ct. For the past 26 years, Stan so enjoyed time with his 15 grandchildren Joseph and Anna Cahill, Camille and Stefan Bartus, Jack Stanley and Luke Bartus, Georgia and Tommy Finley, Finn, Molly and Connor McHugh, and Maggie, Ally, Kasimir, and Aniella Lesnik. He was proud beyond measure of this gang. Stan also leaves his sister-in-law Sr. Mary Francella, his brother-in-law Donald Vyverman and his wife Trudy, and several nieces and nephews. A longtime resident of West Hartford, Avon, and most recently Bloomfield, for the last several decades Stan also enjoyed relaxing on the deck of his home at Groton Long Point. He was every day a gentleman, a healer and devoted friend to many. He was deeply committed to his Catholic faith, a grateful optimist, an avid reader who started each day with a newspaper, a jigsaw and Sudoku puzzler, a tech and gadget guy who never let go of his paper notes and never did find a way to manage all of his passwords. He was a longtime early morning jogger who later enjoyed being a gym rat, and a master to a few beloved family dogs through the years. He loved a good glass of scotch and for many years, his Meerschaum pipe, but most of all, he loved his “Good Ol’ Gal” Mickey and a house full of family. Stan’s family welcomes all friends for calling hours on Monday, June 24 from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Church of St. Timothy, 1116 N. Main St., West Hartford. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on June 25 at 10 a.m., also at the Church of St. Timothy. Burial will be private. Gifts in his memory may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 1463 Highland Avenue, Cheshire, CT 06410.