Henry Adams Bartholomay, 70, of Vero Beach, passed away on Oct. 5, 2015 at Indian River Memorial Hospital.
He is survived his by second wife, Gail; his children John Bartholomay of Bessemer, Mich., and Julie Bartholomay Noe of Round Lake, Ill.; his mother Julia, of Vero Beach; his brother Charles Bartholomay and his family of Palm City; his sisters Lucy Bartholomay of Boston, Mass., Julie Geer of Geneva, Switzerland, and Mimi Bartholomay of Boston. Mass.
Bartholomay was born in Chicago, Ill., the first child of Henry (Hank) and Julia L. (Judy) Bartholomay on March 20, 1945. He was raised in Winnetka, Ill., attended North Shore Country Day Class of 1963, and graduated from Rockford College Class of 1967.
He excelled in athletics, loved golf and baseball, and was a true “Die Hard” Cubs fan, and and avid Black Hawks fan. He was an accomplished musician and his talent gave joy to so many throughout his life. He was known as “Bart” to all who knew and loved him.
Upon graduating from Rockford, Bartholomay joined the U.S. Navy, applied and was accepted into Navy Flight School. He entered the Naval Reserve in 1967 and began active duty in the Naval Aviation Officer’s program in Pensacola, Fla.
After receiving his Wings in 1969 at Kingsville, Texas, he was assigned to the replacement F-4 Phantom Air Wing in San Diego, Calif., and then to Fighter Squadron 161, Carrier Air Group 5 aboard USS Midway. After one tour of duty in Vietnam, he was assigned as Weapons Training Officer and completed advanced fighter weapons and air combat maneuvering training at TOPGUN in Feb., 1972 where he achieved the status of “Top Gun.”
During his second tour of duty onboard USS Midway in Vietnam, LT Bartholomay, his Radar Intercept Officer Oran Brown, his wingman LT Pat Arwood, and Pat’s RIO, Lt Mike “Taco” Bell, confronted and shot down two North Vietnamese MiG-19 enemy aircraft on May 18, 1972 for which they were awarded the Silver Star.
At the point he completed his Naval Reserve duty in Dec. 1972, he had accumulated 267 carrier landings, 1200 flight hours, and was awarded the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross, 10 Strike Flight Air Medals. After leaving the Navy, he went on to work as a weapons system engineer at Point Mugu, Calif., consulting on the Sidewinder Missile. At the end of that consulting contract, he returned to the Chicago area and worked in the insurance, investment, and technology industries.
Bartholomay brought his computer programming business, Treasure Coast FilemakerPro, to Vero Beach in 2001. He was active in his business until his death.
A family Memorial gathering was held at Henry’s and Gail’s Vero Beach home. Family services will be held in Lake Geneva, Wis., at a later time. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Pilots N Paws.
A guest book is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.
