Barbara Hennicke Bartholomew

October 19, 2025

Barbara Hennicke Bartholomew (Babs), 91, passed away peacefully on October 19, 2025, at her home in the Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community. Her devoted daughters Beth and Tracy were by her side.

Born in Ridley Park, Delaware County, she was the daughter of the late Ernest P. and Hilda (Robins) Hennicke. As a young girl, Babs overcame a bout of rheumatic fever, which left her bedridden for many months, to grow into a vivacious, sporty teenager. She spent several summers with her grandparents, Grammy and Gramps Robins, at their cottage in Wolfeboro, NH, where she learned to swim and canoe. With her striking dark hair and engaging personality, she attracted many friends – a quality that stayed with her throughout her life. She graduated from West Chester High School.

Growing up Aston, PA, Babs, along with her siblings, was active in the youth group at Mount Hope United Methodist Church, where she met and married her future husband, Howard. A person of deep faith, she remained a devoted church member throughout her entire life. She attended Siloam United Methodist Church in Bethel Township for many years and, since 1989, was a member of Lampeter United Methodist Church (LUMC) in Lancaster, PA. A dedicated member of the United Methodist Women’s groups at her churches, Babs spent countless hours serving others. For many years at LUMC, she was a key organizer of the annual Easter egg event, managing the production of thousands of homemade chocolate eggs and raising thousands of dollars for the church.

She was married to her husband, Howard Warren “Bart” Bartholomew, for 69 years. Howard and Babs made their first home in Bethel Township, Delaware County, where they raised their two daughters, Beth and Tracy. Babs was an exceptional mother and wife — maintaining a welcoming, immaculate home, making delicious meals for her appreciative family, and supporting the girls in their many school and church activities, all while contending with her husband’s shift-work schedule. She was a homeroom mother, PTA member, and a Girl Scout cookie drive chairperson for several years – an especially popular role with her girls, as a box of Thin Mints was readily available on the back porch at any time!

Although initially skeptical, Babs embraced the menagerie of animals brought home by her husband and girls – dogs, cats, birds, gerbils, rabbits, turtles, fish, chickens and horses. And, of course, the animals loved her best.

Babs loved the beach. Following many years of annual vacations to Delmarva beaches, Bart and Babs built a vacation home in Chincoteague, VA. She became a local entrepreneur, partnering with her sister Peg to open the Kite Koop. She also took trips with her daughters to other locales including New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC, Sarasota, Martha’s Vineyard, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Mexico, and Germany. Her talent as a human GPS ensured that she and her travel companions never got lost!

Upon his retirement, Bart and Babs moved to Lampeter, PA, in 1989, where she continued to make friends of all ages. Her favorite pastimes included attending Senior Citizens Club events, Friday night pinochle games, going to yard sales, visiting friends, being a “grandmother” to the neighbor children, celebrating milestone birthdays with her siblings, decorating for the holidays, and the annual Black Friday shopping trip with her sister-in-law and daughters. She was an avid watcher of Jeopardy and an ace at crossword puzzles and Scattergories.

In recent years, she loved tending her beautiful lilies, doing jigsaw puzzles, and exercising at the Silver Sneakers classes at the nearby YMCA. After moving to Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community in 2024, Babs enjoyed taking walks around the beautiful grounds, attending events with new-found friends, and hosting family in her lovely, light-filled apartment.

Barbara is survived by her two daughters, Elizabeth J. Bartholomew of Washington, DC, and Tracy A. Bartholomew (Wes Henry) of Philadelphia; six siblings, Hilda M. “Peg” Scarborough, Elinor P. “Pat” Umbrecht, Janet E. Martin (Doug), Elsa V. “Ginger” Conard (William), Paul D. “Skip” Hennicke, and Marcia L. Spirk (Rick); sister-in-law, Barbara Reed; and six nieces and five nephews.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Bartholomew.

A service to celebrate her life will take place on November 15, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Lampeter United Methodist Church, 1101 Village Road, Lancaster, PA. Private graveside services will take place in Edgewood Memorial Park, Glen Mills, PA, at a future time.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Barbara’s memory to Hospice & Community Care https://www.hospiceandcommunitycare.org/in-honor-in-memory-gifts/ at 685 Good Drive, Lancaster PA 17601.

Memories and condolences may be shared at SnyderFuneralHome.com.