Ken Barthelman dedicated his work to preserving Newton history

Ken Barthelman had a soft voice but a sharp wit, and it was these characteristics that not only made him a formidable director of the Jasper County Historical Museum — so much so that he managed to earn the title two separate times in his life — but they are also what made him a beloved husband and father.

On June 23, Kenneth Lee “Bart” Barthelman died at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center at the age of 74.

Known for his creativity and dedication to expanding displays at the Jasper County Historical Museum, Ken had an affinity for history, particularly when it came to Newton industries. He had a deep knowledge of Maytag and of the 11 other washing mashing companies in the county.

Joni Barthelman, Ken’s wife, said he even earned a four-year scholarship from Maytag after graduating from Newton High School. Ken attended Iowa State University, starting out with engineering and then switching to business. Maytag held a special significance to Ken, whose father worked for the company.

Iowa State University is where he met his future wife, and they sure didn’t waste any time getting hitched. Joni said within three months they were married; and they were still in college, too. The two had been married for almost 53 years. Ken and Joni have two sons, Zachary and Dwight.

The Barthelman family spent 35 years in Wichita, Kan., before returning to Newton, which is when Ken took on the role of executive director of the county museum. He served the museum from 2014 to 2017, only stepping down when trying to manage his business and be the museum director became too much.

However, in 2019 Ken was recruited again to executive director following former director Bill Perrenoud’s departure from the facility. Ken hit the ground running and continued his past work to reorganize and construct new displays. Leaving the museum the first time was difficult, and he had thought about it often.

Ken’s love of history extended well beyond the grounds of the museum. He was frequently reading novels and watching history documentaries. And Joni said he was always interested in learning new things and had a natural curiosity, which lent itself well to his gig at the county museum. Joni said it was his dream job.

“He was a smart guy, but you’d never know it talking to him because he didn’t tout it or anything,” Joni said. “…Like a lot of smart men, he had trouble sleeping at night. So he did a lot of good thinking at night. He was always thinking about the museum. That was his love.”

In addition to his vast knowledge of history (and his stubbornness), what Joni remembers most about her husband is his kindness and willingness to take charge. If someone had something derogatory or negative to say about another, the soft-spoken Ken would speak up for that person, give a counter-balance.

Ken was also an open-minded person, Dwight said, especially when it came to music. While he was a fan of Bob Dylan, Ken never closed himself off from other bands and musicians. He always gave modern bands a shot, and he frequented many of the shows where his son Zachary was playing, too.

“If my brother was playing a show back in Wichita, then my dad would show up and watch him,” Dwight said. “He was always supporting him by coming in and viewing them and hanging out with the kids.”

Joni added, “I think that says a lot about the man because so many people when they grow up with music they get into one generation and then that’s it. He just always kept an open mind and was always learning. He never closed himself off to anything.”

Larry Hurto worked alongside Ken at the museum, the Newton Historic Preservation Commission and the Newton Main Street Design Committee. Hurto, who is also a local historian, was touched that Ken asked him to be his assistant director of the museum back in 2021. It was a supreme compliment, Hurto said.

Later, Hurto found out Ken paid for Hurto’s assistant director position out of his own salary. Hurto said it was an example of Ken’s immense generosity.

“He was a generous person,” Hurto said. “He gives to the community but he also gives to someone like me. God bless him.”

Hurto said Ken worked tirelessly to preserving and promoting Newton history. Ken was instrumental to getting historical markers and other history-related projects throughout town. At the museum, Hurto said Ken’s attention to detail in the displays was unmatched and brought a level of professionalism to the facility.

Ken also expanded the “war room” of the museum to include the other major wars. And he was pivotal in tracking the local veterans who died during World War II. Hurto said he scoured through microfilm and copied down the names of all the veterans, which are now prominently displayed at the museum.

“He has a book that shows the name, the branch of service, what towns they were from, their death date,” Hurto said. “It really is remarkable. That had to have taken him months.”

When it came to talking about himself, Ken was more tight-lipped. Provided he wasn’t giving a public speech, when it came to talking about history, the man’s brain hit a switch and then never wanted to turn off. Hurto is much the same way, and Ken probably knew that when the two gave a presentation to a local group.

Hurto recalled Ken handing the reigns off to his assistant director.

“He says, ‘I’ve never been much of a public speaker, and Larry likes to talk. So I’m going to let him do it.’ He didn’t tell me he was going to do that! Thanks a lot, pal! Gee-wiz,” Hurto told Newton News with a laugh.

Oftentimes the two would share a one-to-one conversation over a beer or two. Hurto said he’s going to miss that and serving alongside him.

“He was not an outgoing personality, per se, but he certainly made his mark in this community,” Hurto said.