Gwendolyn A. Bartley

Gwendolyn A Bartley nee Sparks was born in Pratville, Manchester, Jamaica, on September 28, 1922, to Catherine nee Brown and John Adolphus Sparks and was the eldest of seven siblings. She was a loving and caring mother of five children, wife of Bertram O Bartley and an active member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She devoted her life to always helping others in need whenever and wherever she could. She was an elegant fashionista who wore beautiful clothes, knew how to design, and sew and was greatly admired in her town.

Gwendolyn was first and foremost a wife and mother but was very ambitious and always an entrepreneur. Hence, she started various businesses, such as baking and selling Jamaican patties and homegrown fruits and vegetables, eventually owning a furniture store. She migrated with her family to Brooklyn, New York, in the early 1970s to expose her children to the vast wonderful opportunities of the United States. She was fun to be around, always made someone laugh at situations and was a great conversationalist. Her favorite topic was her Christian faith and preaching the gospel. She loved Errol Flynn movies, listening to traditional hymns and music by Pat Boone, George Beverly Shea, and Jim Reeves.

Through her husband Bertram, they knew two Prime Ministers and a Governor General of Jamaica in the late sixties to early seventies.

She was preceded in death by her youngest son Bertram Bartley Jr., her husband Bertram Bartley Sr., her brothers John, Verley, Horace, and her sister Myrtle. She is survived by her children Denice Bartley, Errol Bartley Sr. (Ferne), Dr. Dellareece Bartley-Chin (Karl), Carole Bartley-Sterling (Ray), grandchildren, Devon, Janelle, Monique, Khristopher, Errol Jr., Brian, Andriana, Brandon and Isaiah, great-grandchildren Alexandria, Tawana, Rashawn, Akeem, Regan and Kyla, great-great-grandchildren T'miya. Her sisters Janess “Lynne” Mitchel and Veita Williams, nieces, nephews, and other relatives.