Ellen Marie Bartlett (Hakansson), 69, of Reading, VT and former longtime resident of Hopkinton, MA passed away from complications related to heart failure on November 23, 2016. She was the wife of Jim Bartlett for 47 years.

Ellen graduated from Hopkinton High School in 1965 and attended Framingham State College. She treasured the friendships made during her school years. After a summer exploring Europe, Ellen worked at Dennison Manufacturing, waitressed at local restaurants including Carbone's, and assisted many families in finding the perfect home as a real estate broker. Ellen lived in Hopkinton until 1991 when she and her family moved to Vermont.

Ellen was a true horsewoman; she got her first horse as a child and was never without horses the rest of her life. She fox hunted for many years with the Tanheath Hunt Club and traveled to the Green Mountain Horse Association in South Woodstock, Vermont every fall for foliage trail rides beginning in the early 1980s. It was these rides that led her family to fall in love with the area, buy property in Reading and eventually move there full-time. She served as a member of the Board of Directors of GMHA, and volunteered at many of their events. Ellen loved her friends in the horse world as much as she loved her horses.

While a resident of Reading, she worked at Ellaway Property Services in Woodstock, helping with the care and management of residential properties throughout the region. Colleagues at Ellaway quickly became some of her dearest friends. Ellen took great pride in her own property, creating and tending to several beautiful perennial gardens. She was active in the Woodstock Garden Club. She cherished her time outdoors, particularly trail rides upon her favorite horse, Noble. She was a volunteer at the Reading-West Windsor Food Shelf.

Ellen was an avid world traveler, exploring nations including Thailand, Israel, Sweden, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, China, Spain, Portugal and Germany, where she attended the Oberammergau Passion Play.

For the past several years Ellen was truly enjoying retirement with Jim. Together they enjoyed motorcycle rides and relaxing getaways around New England and Northern New York, as well as jeep rides exploring backcountry roads of Vermont. She enjoyed family gatherings and spending time with her grandchildren. She had incredible faith; she worshipped, attended bible studies and served as Eucharistic Minister at several Catholic parishes.

Ellen was pre-deceased by her father, H. Eric Hakansson and her mother Mary Booth. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her son J. Eric Bartlett and his wife Ashley of Whitinsville, MA, daughter Aimee Bartlett of North Grafton, MA, brother John Hakansson of Waldoboro, ME and grandchildren Jessica, Wyatt and Charlotte Bartlett.

Visiting hours at the Matarese Funeral Home, 325 Main Street , Ashland, MA will be 4-7pm Tuesday, November 29th. A Funeral Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church, 20 Church Street, Hopkinton, MA will be held at 10:30am Wednesday, November 30th, followed by a reception.

Donations in Ellen's memory can be made to the Reading-West Windsor Food Shelf, P.O. Box 384, Brownsville, VT 05037.

www.mataresefuneral.com