Valerie Gladys Bartholomew's Obituary
Valerie Gladys Bartholomew passed away peacefully at home on Christmas evening, December 25, 2020. Valerie was born in New York City and raised in Scarsdale, NY in Westchester County by her parents, Gladys and Arthur Pertsch. After graduating from Scarsdale High School, she attended and graduated from Lasell College in Boston, MA. Upon graduation she worked at Lord and Taylor in New York City as a celebrity personal shopper and was a model of designer fashions. Valerie also did public relations for Blue Cross in New York where she met and married her husband, Gene Bartholomew of Palm Beach, Florida. Valerie and Gene were married on Christmas Day in a raging blizzard in Scarsdale. Following, they moved to Fort Myers, Florida where they raised their three children.
She was an owner of Estee Boutique at the Edison Mall and was later Marketing Director of the Mall for 14 years. Valerie later worked for the City of Ft. Myers at Harborside Convention Hall for 10 years before retiring.
She was highly active in community affairs and her children's activities. She loved to entertain and was known for her Pink Parties and pink champagne. When baseball Spring Training came to Ft. Myers she headed committees for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals for their many community activities. Valerie was also actively involved in the Edison Pageant of Light and was on the Board of Directors for many years. She was always active in the Ft. Myers Woman's Community Club serving on many committees. While working at the Edison Mall she was a member of Florida Council of Shopping Centers, where she served as secretary, and the International Council of Shopping Centers. She was a founding member of the Southwest Florida Chamber of Commerce.
Valerie will be missed by her sons, Bruce (Connie) of Fort Myers, FL and Brian (Amy) of Bokeelia, FL and daughter, Blair Loopman (Fred) of Sarasota, FL. In addition, she is survived by her grandchildren, Brooke Pennington (Jeff), Blake, Bailey Ward (Scott) and Brian. Her great grandchildren, John and Thomas Pennington; as well as her beloved niece, nephews and their children. Valerie was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Glady Pertsch and her sister, Beverly Pertsch Smith.
A Funeral Service for Valerie will be celebrated at 1:00 PM on Monday, January 4, 2021 inside the Chapel at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, 1589 Colonial Boulevard, Fort Myers, Florida 33907, (239) 936-0555. Guests are encouraged to gather and be seated in the chapel a half-hour prior to the ceremony beginning at 12:30 PM. At the conclusion of the service, friends and family will recess to adjacent Memorial Gardens Cemetery where Valerie will be laid to rest inside the Mausoleum located in the Hall of Christ Stilling the Waters.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in memory of Valerie be made instead to The Gulf Coast Humane Society, a private, non-profit animal welfare organization providing humane care for surrendered animals and facilitating an adopted home. Donations can be mailed to: 2010 Arcadia Street, Fort Myers, FL 33916, or by calling (239) 332-0364.
To share a story or photo, leave a tribute or to offer condolences to the family at this difficult time, please visit Valerie's memorial webpage at www.fortmyersmemorial.com and sign her guestbook.
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