Harry E. Bartel

Harry Edward Bartel of Fort Worth, TX passed away on September 23, 2025 at the age of 83. Harry had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died of complications related to that illness.

Harry was born on June 26, 1942 in Red Bank, NJ to parents Harry and Doris and was an only child. Harry grew up in New Jersey and attended the Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1964 and began law school at Boston University that fall. While at Dartmouth, he met Dorothy ‘Scottie’ Pryor of Stamford, TX who attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Harry loved to tell the story of how they met at a Dartmouth-Princeton football game and he knew instantly that she was “the one.” His instinct proved prescient as they were married for 57 years until her passing in 2023. They were married in Stamford in 1966 and moved to Dallas where he earned a J.D. and LLM in International Law and Taxation from SMU in 1967. After graduation Harry and Scottie moved to Fort Worth and Harry joined the law firm of Cantey Hanger where he practiced Tax and Estate law without interruption for 59 years. He remained Of Counsel and active at the firm up until his cancer diagnosis in June. Harry was elected as a Fellow in the Esteemed American College of Trust and Estates Counsel, and earned State Bar of Texas legal specialization certification in Estate Planning and Probate Law.

Harry believed fervently in the importance of giving back to the community. Over decades he served in leadership positions with dozens of non-profit, community and Presbyterian organizations in Fort Worth, Texas and beyond. Key roles include Chairman of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Trustee of Austin College, Chairman of Trinity Terrace, Chairman of the Synod of the Sun Presbyterian Foundation, Session member and Trustee of First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth, and trustee or oversight roles for the Fort Worth Club, Presbyterian Foundation, Ghost Ranch, Baylor All-Saints Hospital, the CJ Wrightsman Educational Fund, the Fifth Avenue Foundation and the Smallwood Foundation.

In addition to his passion for community service, Harry was deeply involved in the classical music community of Fort Worth. He and Scottie were both heavily involved with the Van Cliburn Piano Competition and attended concerts of all kinds in Fort Worth while supporting these organizations with their time and financial support. Travel was another shared passion and they had the good fortune to travel the world. Cruises were a particular favorite including transatlantic crossings with the grandkids and a Baltic cruise that included many locations now closed to American travelers. They purchased a home in Taos, NM in 2005 and became a regular part of the Taos community with involvement in the Millicent Rogers Museum and a variety of other organizations including the Taos Center for the Arts.

Harry always had a story ready to share whether it was a personal one (attending high school with the Crown Prince of Bulgaria, watching ocean liners leave the port of New York in the 50’s) or some interesting bit of history regardless of location. And, of course, he had many stories based on the sixty years he lived in his adopted home state of Texas.

Harry is survived by his two sons, Christopher Scott Bartel of Jackson, WY and George Porter Bartel of Taos, NM, his daughter-in-law, Darcey Forbes Bartel and three grandchildren, Kendall Wells Bartel, Carter Scott Bartel and Tess Pryor Bartel. Harry is also survived by his Goddaughter, Elle Travis and his family would like to make a special mention of Linda Beckworth, a longtime colleague at Cantey Hanger who became a regular and trusted companion after Scottie’s passing. We would also highlight longtime caretaker Kathy DeFoor as well as caregivers Karen Odom and Anita Hill. All three provided essential care in the final months of Harry’s illness and the family is forever grateful.

There will be a service in remembrance of Harry’s life on Friday October 17 at 2pm at the First Presbyterian Church followed by a private interment at a later date. Donations can be made in Harry’s honor to First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth, 1000 Penn Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102 or the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, P.O. 470839, Fort Worth, TX 76147.