Dean Bartee
March 15, 1932 - July 12, 2018
Dean Bartee was a devoted husband, father and grandfather who passed away July 12, 2018, after a long battle with cancer, with loving family surrounding him. Born in Donie, Texas, Dean was the middle child of Carl and Earl Lucile Bartee. His family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1942. He graduated from North Phoenix High School and attended Phoenix College.
His entire career was in the newspaper business. He started as a paper carrier at the age of 12 years old. He worked for the Republic and Gazette in Phoenix, Arizona; the Omaha World Herald in Nebraska; and joined the San Jose Mercury News (now known as The Mercury News) in 1974. He retired in 1997 as Senior Vice President of the Mercury News. During his newspaper career, he was an active member in many newspaper organizations, including the Plans Committee of the Newspaper Advertising Bureau and The International Newspaper Advertising and Marketing Executives Association, a group he served as president in 1977.
He met his wife, Judy, in Phoenix and they were married Nov. 24, 1955. They had two children, Jeff Bartee and Christie Bartee, Dean and Judy have lived in Saratoga since 1974.
Dean was an extraordinary leader in the community. He served as board member and chair of the board of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce; board and chair of the San Jose Better Business Bureau; board and chair of the San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau; member and chair of Good Samaritan Hospital; and a board member for Hope Rehabilitation Services, the United Way of Santa Clara County and the San Jose Repertory Theater. He was president of the Saratoga Men’s Club in 2010-11 and co-founder of the inaugural American Cancer Society golf tournament, which he helped start nine years ago. “We credit Dean’s leadership with helping us to raise $1,700,000,” according to an American Cancer Society spokesperson.
Dean was an avid golfer and continued to play at La Rinconada with his golf group up until last year. He served twice as president of La Rinconada Country Club and served as president of the Northern California Golf Association. A favorite quote of his from Bobby Jones is: “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.” His favorite golf memory was “making a hole in one while playing with my son.”
Jeff Bartee says about his father, “My dad will be sorely missed by his family and the community. He was our rock and guiding light, and worked hard to support us and the community his entire life.”
Larry Jinks, retired publisher of the San Jose Mercury News, says about Dean, “As the chief marketing officer at the paper, Dean was a major factor in the Mercury News’ business success in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. At the same time, he was a popular and respected business leader in San Jose both before and after his retirement. He was always a positive and congenial colleague.”
Dean was predeceased by his daughter, Christie Bartee, in July 2017. He is survived by his wife, Judy Bartee; his son and daughter-in-law, Jeffrey and Deanna Bartee; his grandsons, Alexander and Christopher Bartee; his brother and sister-in-law, Earl and Betty Bartee of Sun City West, Arizona; his sister, Emily Hughes of Scottsdale, Arizona; and five nieces and nephews.
Friends are invited to a memorial service at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at Saratoga Federated Church, 20390 Park Place, Saratoga. Reception will follow at La Rinconada Country Club. Memorial donations may be made in Dean’s name to the Golden Gate Silicon Valley Invitational Golf Tournament of the American Cancer Society, or Cancer CAREpoint, 2505 Samaritan Drive, San Jose, CA 95124 (cancercarepoint.org) or the charity of your choice.