Montco leaders recall political mentor
Lansdale lawyer was former chair of county Republican committee
» Legislators and Montgomery County leaders reacted with sorrow this week to the death of Frank Bartle, former county Republican chairman who served as a solicitor for numerous municipalities and a mentor to many in politics.
Bartle died Sunday at his home.
He was 68 years old.
“Instead of me focusing on my loss, I’ve been doing my best to just be grateful for the time that I had with him,” said Jack Dooley, a partner at Bartle’s law firm, Dischell Bartle Dooley, of Lansdale. “Grateful that I had such a close friend, and that I had such a wonderful partner, because as great of a lawyer as he was, he was that much better of a friend, and that’s a significant loss for all of us.”
Montgomery County President Judge Thomas M. DelRicci echoed Dooley’s remarks: “I was grateful to have him [as a friend]. Judges don’t usually get this emotional, but [I was] so grateful to have had him in my life,” DelRicci said.
“He will definitely be missed. He was a person that cared about public life and Montgomery County has a big hole in its heart for losing Frank,” sa id Montgomery County Sheriff Sean Kilkenny.
Bartle described as ‘loyal,’ ‘generous’
Of the many words used to describe Bartle, caring, loyal, generous and trusting were repeated often this week among those who knew him.
“He would care a great deal about what was going on in your life and very much was there if there was anything that he could do to help you,” Dooley said. “That was the nature of the man.”
“He was very loyal to his many friends,” said former Montgomery County Judge Joseph Walsh. “He was extremely generous of his time, talent and treasures to powerful public figures and those in need alike.”
Those public figures included Republican state legislators Rep. Todd Stephens and Sen. Bob Mensch.
“Frank was trusted by everybody,” Stephens said.
“The man had style. He was just very effective in his leadership,” Mensch said. Lansdale was home Bartle was a Lansdale area native and graduated from North Penn High School in 1970.
He went on to attend the University of Maryland where he enjoyed a “successful collegiate swimming career,” according to his obituary.
DelRicci said he first encountered Bartle at a swimming pool in Philadelphia when he was 9 years old.
“Believe it or not, we met when we were youngsters; we actually swam competitively against each other, and he would regularly clean my clock,” DelRicci said.
Bartle went on to graduate from Dickinson School of Law in 1977. He returned to Lansdale to work in a law firm with partner Mark Dischell that same year. Dischell said that Dooley “joined us next year,” at the law firm eventually known as Dischell Bartle Dooley.
“The three of us had been partners, friends and dare I say brothers since that time,” Dischell said.
According to Bartle’s legal profile, his expertise focused on a number of areas including real estate, zoning, land development, education, municipal law, and civil litigation.
“Regardless of the area of the law that the case may have been in, everyone at our firm at one point or another would go and pick Frank’s brain and we always benefited from that,” Dooley said. “That was a very natural occurrence throughout our firm, to just say, ‘This is an interesting problem, what does Frank think of this?’”
The two agreed there were several cases where Bartle shined involving the North Penn and Methacton school districts.
“He loved this town. He loved this community. He loved this area. I mean he loved Montgomery County, but I remember being struck that in the early days of me knowing Frank Bartle we were just talking about careers, ‘Hey, how did you come to be here?’ And he just said, ‘Well I was always gonna be a lawyer in Lans
dale,’” Dooley said.
County Republican chairman
Bartle served as chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Committee from 1993 to 2004.
“Frank was an irreplaceable mentor to so many of us in the Republican party and his advice and guidance will be greatly missed. This is a tremendous loss and we express our deepest condolences and prayers to his wife Kathy and his entire family,” read a statement from the Montgomery County Republican Committee.
Current Chairwoman Liz Haney said she was deeply saddened by the death of her mentor.
“Frank was an exceptional human being and you don’t always see that in politics. He just was a class act,” Haney said. “A kind person and he went out of his way to mentor people involved in the party like me.”
“Not only did Frank support with his time, but he was an avid fundraiser who always supported our local candidates and just this past week raised thousands of dollars for Senator Bob Mensch,” said a committee
spokesperson.
State Rep. Stephens first met Bartle in 1994. He said had just graduated from college and wanted to explore future political aspirations. Stephens recalled visiting the Republican party headquarters, then located in downtown Norristown, as Bartle “encouraged” Stephens to attend law school and “pursue some other things before embarking on a political career.”
More than a decade later, Stephens ran for office. In 2008, he lost, and in 2010, he won.
Along with Stephens, Mensch said he looked to Bartle as a “mentor.” Their relationship as advisor and politician, as well as general experience working in the party went back decades.
“Frank has left a legacy of many people that he influenced and touched and consulted too in politics,” Mensch said. “I think that’s his lasting legacy that he has in so many ways influenced so many people in politics, Republican and Democrat.”
“He was responsible for a lot of individuals having achieved success, and I put myself in that category,” DelRicci said. “I can truly say that I would not be a judge
if it were not for Frank’s support. His support meant something. People respected his judgment.”
Walsh added that his own career was influenced by Bartle in school board, municipal and judicial positions.
“Without Mr. Bartle’s support, I would never have had the honor and privilege of serving as a Judge in the Court of Common Pleas for Montgomery County,” he said in an email.
“Frank and I were competitors and adversaries in the courtroom and in politics, but through time actually ended up becoming good friends,” Kilkenny said in a Facebook post following Bartle’s death.
“Frank Bartle was one of the best lawyers I have had the privilege to know. During my time as a Montgomery Township supervisor we worked closely together as he was the township solicitor,” Walsh said in an email. “Frank always provided wise, deliberate and thoughtful advice. He was extremely detail oriented and a persuasive advocate.”
Music, sports & family
Outside of law and politics, Bartle enjoyed music
and sports.
“When we would sit in the basement you’d hear everything from 70s music, to 60s music, to 50s music, even some 80s music,” Stephens said. “He really enjoyed a broad spectrum of music as do I so we certainly had that in common.”
Dischell said his favorite musical group was the Harp Tones, and those who knew him best described Bartle as an audiophile with a stellar jukebox collection.
“They were his pride and joy,” Dischell said. “He had one that was really a classic out of the show ‘ Happy Days.’”
As an avid sports enthusiast, Bartle’s favorite baseball team was the New York Yankees. With DelRicci being a Philadelphia Phillies fan, the two would often go to baseball games together. He recalled the 2009 World Series where the Phillies fell to the Yankees.
“And I never forgave him for it,” DelRicci said with a laugh.
Bartle is survived by his wife, Kathleen, “with whom he shared 38 wonderful years of marriage,” his obituary states, and his children Tara, Victoria and Frank, and his grandchild, Cole.