Jim Ned Bartee (’51), professor emeritus of management sciences at Abilene Christian University, died Oct. 4, 2026, in Abilene, Texas, at age 97.
He was born April 18, 1929, in Hollis, Oklahoma; earned a B.S. degree in business and competed in track and field, and wed Mary Lawanda Russell in 1951. Later, he earned a B.S.E.E. degree from Texas Tech University (1960), an M.S.B.A. from Boston University (1985), and an M.A. from The University of Texas at Dallas (1988).
Military service in the National Guard and the Air Force called him to serve during the Korean War. After returning, he finished a 26-year career in the military, retiring as a major in the Army Reserves.
Most of his business career was spent with Rockwell International, which sent Bartee to Korea to start a joint venture telecommunications company (1977-81) and to Italy to set up a nationwide utilities network delivering electricity to the country (1982-86).
Bartee joined ACU’s College of Business Administration faculty in 1991 to teach international business courses, earning COBA’s Teacher of the Year in management sciences for 1993 and 1998, its Dean’s Award for Service in 2001, and retiring in 2004. He devoted nearly 20 years to medical missions to Namwianga Mission in Zambia, Africa, serving until 2017 on the Zambia Mission board. He also was a motorcycle enthusiast who regularly invited students to share rides on his Harley-Davidson and the joy he experienced while motorbiking.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Knox Bartee and Vera Bartee; Mary, his wife of 71 years; and a brother, Kyle Bartee. Among survivors are his son, Klay Bartee; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
– Ron Hadfield
Oct. 30, 2026