John Bartlett, an Ocean County freeholder since 1979, passed away today after a three-year battle with colon cancer. He was 71.
Bartlett dropped his bid for re-election to the freeholder board in August.
He was appointed to the Pine Beach Borough Council in 1974 and became mayor in 1978.
Bartlett was 32 when he won his first freeholder race. He sought the open seat of freeholder Hazel Gluck, who instead won a seat in the New Jersey State Assembly. He ran on a ticket with incumbent Leonard Connors, who later served in the New Jersey State Senate. He won by 8,123 votes.