Obituary: Dee Dee Bartels, Beloved Fernandina Beach Legend

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Dee Dee Bartels, a devoted community leader and local legend, who died at the age of 102.

Born in the early 1920s, Dee Dee’s life spanned more than a century — and in that time she touched the hearts of generations across Fernandina Beach and beyond. In April 2025, the News-Leader profiled Bartels in a piece titled “Founding Spirit: Dee Dee Bartels, 102, reflects on founding Fernandina’s Shrimp Festival.”

The article detailed how she played a critical role in creating what would become one of Amelia Island’s most beloved traditions, the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival — a community celebration combining heritage, seafood, music, and island culture.

In doing so, she helped shape the cultural fabric of Fernandina Beach, leaving a legacy that continues to bring joy and camaraderie to residents and visitors alike.

But the shrimp festival is just one facet of her contributions. Dee Dee was also a published poet, with three collections to her name — including a volume titled Island Rhythms, evocative of her life’s journey and her deep connection with island communities.

Her creative spirit was matched by her passion for community welfare. Over many decades, she championed local causes, advocated for public access to waterfronts, and lent her voice and energy to civic engagement. The community honored that dedication by naming the public boat ramp at the north end of 14th Street the Dee Dee Bartels Boat Ramp — a living tribute that has served as a gateway to the water for fishermen, boaters, and generations of locals and visitors alike.

Those who knew Dee Dee remember her as a woman of warmth, perseverance, and quiet strength. Even into her 90s and beyond, she remained engaged — loving her art, her writing, and her community. In a 2020 News-Leader interview, she spoke candidly about adapting to life’s changes and finding solace in her poetry and painting, despite advancing age.

Her 102 years witnessed the evolution of Amelia Island — from a quiet coastal community to a vibrant, historic, and culturally rich town. Through it all, Dee Dee remained a steady presence: advocating for public access to the waterfront, preserving island heritage, and inviting younger generations into civic life.

Her passing leaves a profound void in the community, but her legacy endures — in festival traditions, waterfront ramps, poetry books, and the countless lives she influenced.

There will be a funeral for her at St. Michael's Catholic Church at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Dee Dee Bartels was more than a community volunteer, a festival founder, or a public-space namesake — she was an embodiment of Fernandina Beach’s heart and soul. Her century-long life reminds us how much one determined, creative, and caring individual can shape the identity of a place and its people.