Cohar Bartlett, 90, of Northborough

Northborough – Cohar Bartlett, artist and caring mother, sister, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away peacefully on January 13, at Whitney Place, just down the road from her longtime home in Northborough, MA. She was 90 years old.

An artist, businesswoman, and animal-lover, Co was born in 1932 to Hannah and George Kalajian in New York City. Cohar and her sister, Carol Kasparian, enjoyed family time on Lincoln Street in Worcester, and at Thompson Pond in Spencer. When Hannah founded Near East Rice Pilaf more than 50 years ago, they built the family business, as it expanded worldwide.  Cohar raised her two children, David and Debbie, in Grafton.

In 1980, Co moved to a home in Northborough that she designed on Howard Street. Co was often found puttering around her 20-acre property on her ATV, or drawing artistic inspiration from the pond and waterfall she helped build. Cohar also loved the time she spent and the friends she met along the way during her decades in the Florida Keys and on Cape Cod.

In her later years, Co furthered her love of the arts, travel, and animals. She could often be found painting in her sunroom, or enjoying time with her countless dogs, birds, guinea pigs, and whatever animal she could convince her family to allow in the house. Cohar also enjoyed her antique car that she often drove in Fourth of July parades all around New England.

In her 80’s, Cohar moved to Whitney Place in Northborough, where her zest for life, vibrant attire, and kindness quickly endeared her to new friends.  Her desire to be helpful never left her, and her last week was filled with staff and residents sharing story after story of her kindness and wit.

In addition to her children, David Bartlett and Debbie Stutman, Cohar is mourned by scores of friends, relatives, grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.  The family is holding private arrangements.

Cohar passed peacefully, surrounded by her family after a 30+ year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Cohar Bartlett’s memory to The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research – www.michaeljfox.org.