Elnora "Nola" S. Bartlett, of Columbia, formerly of Leeds, N.Y., died May 20, 2008, of complications from a stroke, at Holy Cross Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, in Burtonsville. She was 89.

Born April 16, 1919, in Canastota, N.Y., to Vern R. and Fernald Betsinger Smith, she graduated from Canastota High School in 1935.

For a year in the mid-1930s, she attended Syracuse Normal, in Syracuse, N.Y., where she studied teaching education.

During World War II, she was employed as a polisher of machine gun parts at Colt Arms Co., in Hartford, until 1945. While at Colt, she met her then-future husband.

She married Raymond Bartlett in 1943.

Mrs. Bartlett co-owned and operated a series of small businesses with her husband, including the Fireplace restaurant in Collinsville, Conn., from 1947 to 1952; Western Auto hardware store in Cazenovia, N.Y., from 1960 to 1970; Rolling Hills Motel in Morrisville, N.Y., from 1969 to 1972; Hi-land Motel in Highland, N.Y., from 1973 to 1978; and the Lantern Motel in South Cairo, N.Y., from 1980 to 1990. All of the businesses were sold, except for Western Auto, which was closed.

In the early 1950s, Mrs. Bartlett worked as a secretary in the Department of Preceptorial Studies at Colgate University. She also worked as a bookkeeper/business manager for two car dealerships, one in Hamilton, N.Y., in 1959 and the other in Oceanside, Calif., in 1960, and for a chain of book and record stores in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., from 1978 to 1980.

Mrs. Bartlett was a member of the United Methodist Church in South Cairo and Catskill, N.Y., and the United Methodist Women, in the capital region of New York State, where she served as an officer at the local and district level. She was also a member of the On-ti-ora chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

She had been a resident of Harmony Hall assisted living community for four years.

She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Raymond Bartlett, who died in 2006; a sister, Muriel Smith; and two brothers, James Smith and Richard Smith.

Mrs. Bartlett is survived by two daughters, Roberta A. Stephens, of Batavia, N.Y., and Joan E. Howson, of New Providence, N.J.; two sons, John H. Bartlett, of Meadville, Pa. and Raymond "Buzz" V. Bartlett, of Columbia; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held in July at Catskill Cemetery in Catskill, N.Y.

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