Mary Ellen Bartlett, 96, passed away peacefully on July 30 after a brief illness. Born on March 22, 1928, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, to Alonza Rockwell and Helen Kesecker, Mary Ellen's early years were marked by joyful summers spent in the serene surroundings of Sleepy Creek, WV with her beloved grandmother.

Her formative years were spent in Baltimore, where she graduated from Eastern High School. Driven by a quest for knowledge, Mary Ellen attended night classes at Johns Hopkins University and embarked on a career in research at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Her professional journey continued as she took on a role as a medical technician at the University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore.

In 1948, Mary Ellen's life took a new turn when she married Richard J. Crafton. They settled in Linthicum, Maryland, where they welcomed two sons, James and Thomas. Summers were a cherished time for them, spent at their family's home on the Magothy River, where fishing and crabbing became a beloved tradition. In 1976, following the passing of Richard's father, the family built a new home on their family's plot along the Magothy River in Severna Park— where Mary Ellen would find solace and joy for the next 50 years.

The sudden loss of Richard in 1984 was a profound moment in her life. She found a measure of comfort in the companionship of James Fisher, a long-time family friend, though their time together was brief, as he passed away within a year of their marriage. In 1988, Mary Ellen's heart found a new home with Richard "Dick C" Bartlett of Annapolis. Their 34 years together were filled with laughter, adventure, and shared passions for sailing, travel, and gourmet cooking, until his passing in 2022. Following Dick C's death, Mary Ellen spent a season in Alaska with her son Tom's family before returning to Maryland to reside in an assisted living facility.

Mary Ellen's creative spirit was boundless. She harbored a lifelong affection for poetry, gardening, and classical music, with a particular fondness for opera. Her Saturdays were devoted to Metropolitan Opera's radio broadcasts, and she was fortunate to experience her favorite operas live in New York City on several occasions.

In her earlier years, Mary Ellen was renowned for her handcrafted quilts and braided rugs, and she lovingly sewed dresses for her granddaughters and their dolls. As she grew older, her creativity blossomed into painting and cooking. She created numerous paintings in various media, capturing the essence of her Magothy River home, her grandchildren, and her extensive travels—destinations that included France, the Caribbean, Guatemala, Tahiti, and Alaska. Her culinary skills, inspired by her travels and her life on the river, resulted in seafood dinners that will be fondly remembered by all who had the pleasure of enjoying them.

Mary Ellen was predeceased by her brothers Joe and Norman Rockwell, her sister Barbara Dreisch, and her granddaughter, Hanna Crafton. She is survived by her two sons: James Crafton and his wife, Lise, of Severna Park; Thomas Crafton and his wife, Kathleen, of Eagle River, Alaska; her stepchildren Linda Stearns of Oxford, Robin Bartlett of Pasadena, and Jonathan Bartlett and his wife Molly of Annapolis; five grandchildren: Emily (Bartlett) O'Grady, Annie Bartlett, Jena Crafton, Kalena Crafton, and Ben Crafton; and three great-grandchildren: Connor, Nora, and Louise O'Grady. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Echoes and Embers

By Kalena Crafton

A river's whisper,
in the hush of a creek's embrace,
where the world shivers into bloom—
a seed sprouts in the soil,

blossoms toward blue

Fishing line,
crab shells and summer's amber sigh,
a river's shimmering pulse,
a vessel, paintbrush
tracing watercolor rivers

across canvas of water and wood
where river cradles memory,
a sanctuary of sentiment

Wrinkled hands—
an endless canvas,
Lattice of fabric and thread,
patterns of blood stitched in memory,
a constellation of kin

Familiar echoes and embers,
a river's pulse,
a symphony in twilight

A winter breath,
a transient chill,
returning to the familiar ripple of
a quiet space where memories drift,
and time stretches like soft silhouettes

Loss erupts—
a shadow's silence

A dance of quiet corridors,
where healing whispers sculpted
a silent symphony in white.