Barton Bartling, 77, passed away peacefully in Spearfish, South Dakota, peacefully on June 17, 2025 after battling with esophageal cancer for a few years.
Barton was born on July 2, 1947, to Martin and Irma (Tivis) Bartling in Rapid City, South Dakota. He attended elementary school at Tama near Opal, South Dakota. Martin was in the Air Force so the family lived in several places such as Cheyenne, Wyoming and Honolulu, Hawaii. He graduated from Vacaville, California. While working as a carpenter in Redwood City, California, he met the love of his life. Barton and Sharon (Vedder) were married October 19, 1968 at Travis Air Force Base. In 1970, they moved to South Dakota. They milked cows until they bought the meat shop at Union Center in 1978. Bart and Sharon provided custom meat processing for the community until they retired in 2023.
He was a co-creator of the Union Center Softball Fields where he spent countless hours working, playing, coaching, and watching games. He was also known for sharing the coldest beer in the country. Family was the most important thing to him. As a father/grandfather, he was an awesome fishing guide, a patient driving instructor who also had the skills to teach them how to fix cars, and was a fair referee to three competitive kids. He also always loved spending time at the family ranch with anyone who would join him, making this a special place for family and friends.
He is survived by his wife Sharon (Vedder); daughters, Danielle (Shad) Hunt of Spearfish, and Denise (Chet) Dobbs of Wellington, CO, daughter-in-law Hilarie (Scantling) Bartling of Wellington, CO; five grandchildren, Jazmyn Hunt, Trey Dobbs, Izabella Bartling, Jaden Hunt, and Gabbie Bartling; twin brother Martin Bartling (Susan), sister Terry Ann Whitmyre; sisters-in-law, Bev (Ed) Zammit, Diane (Jeff) Kranitsky, and Mareth Vedder; many nieces and nephews; and life-long friend/partner-in-crime Mike Cole. He was preceded in death by his parents, Martin Bartling and Irma (Tivis) Bartling; brother Derral Herbst; and son John.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. His ashes will be spread at the ranch by John’s.
The family requests that there be no flower arrangements at this time.
