Kathleen Corbin Bartell

Kathleen Corbin Bartell, adored wife, mother, sister and friend, died tragically and unexpectedly from a heart attack on Sunday, August 10, 2008. Kathy was born on April 13, 1946 to Joseph and Rosa Corbin. She lived in West Orange and Middletown, New Jersey until graduating high school in 1964. She attended Denison University in Ohio until 1966 when she transferred to the U.W-Madison where she continued her studies in Music, and met her life's love, Denis Bartell, a U.W. law student. Kathy received her Bachelor's degree in voice and keyboard performance in 1968 and her Master's in 1970. She then was awarded a two-year Fulbright Scholarship for the study of Slavic music in the former Yugoslavia and in Siena, Italy. Kathy and Denis married on June 18, 1972, and embarked on their respective careers. Kathy taught voice and choral music at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and then at Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee and Edgewood College in Madison, while also accepting many private students. She regularly performed with the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee and Madison Opera Company, accepting roles in ""Carmen,"" ""Manon"" and ""Cavalleria Rusticana."" In the late 1970's, while continuing to pursue her life-long love of music, Kathy changed her career focus, and became a certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor at Stoughton Hospital. Then, in the mid-1980's, she decided to devote full time to her growing family. Kathy considered her greatest achievement to be her children. She leaves Jennifer (27) of New York City, a charter school teacher for autistic children; Emily (25) recently of Washington, D.C., a specialist in marketing and human and organizational development; Claire (23) a teacher with the Chicago Public Schools; and Corbin (20), a junior at Beloit College, studying this year in Osaka, Japan. Kathy is also survived by her beloved husband, Denis, a partner at the DeWitt, Ross & Stevens law firm, by her sister Cheryl (David) Tartakoff of Oak Park, Illinois, and her brother Thomas (Brenda) Corbin of Chevy Chase, Maryland. She also leaves too many other relatives and friends even to begin to list. A private internment is being held today. A public memorial service will be held on August 31, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Meeting House, 900 University Bay Drive, Madison, Wisconsin. With the exception of her family and friends, Kathy had no greater devotion than that to music. She fell in love with music, particularly opera, at the age of six and that love never wavered. She instilled that love in each of her own children and countless other children she taught, coached and directed. Kathy would be overjoyed to know that an endowment has been established in her honor: The Kathy Bartell Endowment for the Support of Music in Madison's Schools. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent payable to that fund, c/o Foundation for Madison's Public Schools, 455 Science Drive, #130, Madison, Wisconsin 53711.