September 18, 1937 - May 9, 2022
With heavy hearts, the family announces the passing of Eldon Wesley Bartsch ofAbbotsford, British Columbia. Born in Saskatoon, SK, Eldon lived with his family on their farm in Dalmeny, SK, In the Spring of 1948, he moved with his family to Abbotsford when he was 10 years old. In his mid-teens and still in school, his first full time job was at the local bakery, Pine Ridge Farms, (now Canada Bread).
In his later teens, he worked as a lot boy at Model Motors, a family garage and car dealership in downtown Abbotsford. Now in his 20s, he married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Peardon in 1958. Ambitiously, in 1959 Eldon and Ruth started Southgate Cleaners, a local drycleaner. At the same time, he worked several other jobs as they started their young family. Eldon played drums in a local band, and he was a sports broadcaster on the local radio station, CFVR. He played, and then coached and managed championship men's fastpitch softball teams at an A-level. Circa 1970, Eldon led Abbotsford's Cataline Farms fastpitch softball teams to more than 100 wins in a single season, including a win over the legend Eddie "The King"Feigner, perhaps the greatest men's softball pitcher to ever live, and his"Court"of three players, in a barnstorming exhibition game in Abbotsford.
Eldon and Ruth were a very formidable couple who truly lived a life together, inseparable, and in many ways interdependent, and very much in love their entire lives. In 1973, Eldon and Ruth founded Act One Uniform Rentals, as a local business that eventually expanded across British Columbia. Now led by the third generation of his family, Act One remained a family owned and operated business as it morphed into Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service, providing linen services to hospitals across Canada and the United States. Something he was very proud of.
Following a short stay in the hospital, Eldon succumbed to organ failure, a result of congestive heart failure, passing in his sleep on May 9, 2022, at the age of 84.
He was predeceased by his parents, John F. and Selma Bartsch, sister Sharlene McDonald, and is survived by his wife, lifelong partner and best friend Ruth, brother Ron (Lynn), son Randy (Patsy), daughters Janice Smith (Lee), and Brenda Watt (Alan), seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren.
An intimate family service is planned, as he requested.
Donations can be made to Canuck Place Children's Hospice in Eldon's name. (https://www.canuckplace.org/).