Juliette Bustillo Bartlett

Juliette Bustillo Bartlett, 90, passed away peacefully in her Encinitas home she shared with her daughter Jennifer Bartlett Zelles, son-in-law Craig Zelles and granddaughter Catalina Zelles on August 25, 2023.

She was born in Honduras in 1933, one of 4 daughters to Hector and Blanca. She left to attend college at Marquette University in Wisconsin where she embraced the cold winters and majored in literature. After graduation, she made her way to New York City and worked for RKO Radio Pictures, one of the Big Five Studios of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Juliette relished her time in New York in the 50’s as it was a time for supper clubs where one dined at small tables and listen to Nat King Cole or Frank Sinatra croon live, Broadway was in its heyday and everyone gathered at Sardis after opening night to anxiously receive the reviews as they came in.

In New York, she also met William R. Bartlett, 11 years her senior, a Marine who fought in WWII, a graduate of Colorado School of Mines and Columbia, and who then worked for Aramco, the Arabian American Oil Company. He was the man who would change her life forever. After a whirlwind romance and marriage, they were happily transferred to Saudi Arabia and thus began their adventuresome 35 years of international living and world travel. They had 3 daughters Karen, Liza and Jennifer, who accompanied them on their many many trips to exotic locations. In the 70s, Bill and Juliette relocated to Houston, Tx for 10 years and then later retired to Reno, NV.

Juliette was widowed in 2007, the same year she was to become a grandmother for the first and only time. She left Reno and relocated to Oceanside, CA. to become daughter Jennifer and husband Craig’s neighbor and to their daughter, Catalina, a beloved Nana. After several years of traveling, eating, and celebrating together, Juliette, her daughter Jennifer and her family sold their homes, bought a house together and moved to Encinitas in 2016. Juliette could finally embrace being a full time grandmother passing down recipes, sharing family stories including her own, listening to every story told, ever ready to receive or to give a hug. She spent her final years with the Zelles family that once was 3 but, with her, had grown to a tight knit family of 4.

Juliette is survived by 2 of her sisters Juanita Miller and Blanca Lennon, and by daughters Karen Bartlett, Liza Reavis (Paul), Jennifer Zelles (Craig), and granddaughter Catalina Zelles. Juliette touched each person she met and is lovingly remembered by all. Her graciousness, patience and altruism created a better world here and across the globe.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the D.A.V. (Disabled American Veterans) in the name of Lieutenant W.R.Bartlett of 2nd Marine Division