Geneva Bartlett, 79, of Downers Grove, a retired Army master sergeant who received two Bronze Stars for her intelligence work in Normandy during World War II, died Friday in Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove. In 1942, the 23-year-old farm girl from Sheldon, Ill., enlisted in the Army and became a member of ULTRA, a British-led intelligence operation established to break German war codes. Working within range of enemy guns, Mrs. Bartlett’s job was to receive decoded signals about ground troop movements and forward them to commanders. She met her second husband, W. Kirk, in the military and married him after the war. She lived in Westchester and Clarendon Hills before moving to Downers Grove. Mrs. Bartlett worked for many years as an executive secretary at Ryerson Steel until she retired in 1985. An adventurous woman, she enjoyed traveling, reading and doing crossword puzzles. Survivors include a son, David K.; a daughter, Kathryn J.; three sisters, Dorothy Braun, Kathryn Durtche and Martha Birkett; a brother, Donald Thompson; and a granddaughter. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday , immediately followed by the service at Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Rd., Westchester.
