Paul Barton Trescott

CARBONDALE – Bart Trescott, 92, of Carbondale passed away peacefully at 8:55 a.m. on Thursday, February 8, 2018 at Carbondale Memorial Hospital with his loving wife at his side.



Born in Bloomsburg, PA, Paul Barton Trescott November 22, 1925 to Paul Henry and Stella Henrietta (Potts) Trescott. Bart married Kathleen “Kitty” Marie Colcord on August 15, 1982 at Urbana, IL . He is survived by his wife Kitty Trescott; son, Jeffrey Alan Trescott of Oakland, CA; daughter Jill Virginia (Leo Reid) Trescott of Randolph, MN; step daughter, Marie Ellen Hartley of Carbondale; three grandchildren, Cory Frisby, Lindsey Frisby and James Konicki; and three great grandchildren, Liliana Lusk, Charli Westley, and Isabell Konicki.



He was preceded in death by his son, Andrew Trescott; brother, Alfred Trescott; step brother, Clarke Bachman; seven cousins, and so many wonderful friends.



Bart earned his Bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College in 1949; his MA and Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton University in 1951 and 1954 respectively. He stayed at Princeton for three years to begin his career as an Economics Professor. After that, he took a position at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, 1954-1967. As the coach for their College Bowl team. Bart accompanied them to New York City for four weeks, winning three consecutive times. In 1965, he was offered a two year Rockefeller Foundation Position at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. Returning to the US in 1963, he accepted a two year position at Miami University of Ohio until he was able to secure a full professorship at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He went on to a successful professorship position in Economics at Southern Illinois University where he retired in 2000. His sabbatical year (1983-84) was spent in Beijing, China at Peking University via the Fulbright Award he received. During the year, he traveled throughout China giving lectures. The USIA provided gave additional opportunities for him to give presentations in Thailand, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Over the next twenty years, he returned to China six more times to teach economics and give lectures. In 1996, he once again was given a Fulbright Award to teach abroad. This time, one semester in Czestochowa, Poland. He played a key role in the cooperation and exchanges between SIUC and Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China. He was proud to see many generations of his students succeed in their careers and will be missed by them. Bart made many contributions to his community, his field of study and was a supporting member of Phi Beta Kappa. Bart was a prolific writer; his most recent published in 2016. One book, Money, Banking, and Economic Welfare was presented to President Kennedy in 1960. More than 100 articles have been published in professional journals and other publications.



Bart was a visiting professor at the University of Illinois, Champaign. He also taught for a couple of years at John A. Logan College in Carterville. Bart’s writing prowess earned him a set of encyclopedias when he a young teenager. Another time, he wrote an entry for an encyclopedia publication that was accepted and included in their next publication.



During World War II, Bart proudly served our country in the United States Army as a decorated officer earning the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal. He was in a supply unit, serving as the bugler and mail clerk. He also had a keen musical talent playing in the company unit military band on various instruments encompassing the saxophone, clarinet and trumpet.



Bart was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Carbondale, serving as an elder, a teacher, giving presentations, and supporting Sunday School and Vacation Bible School endeavors for 35 years. He cherished his church family friendships.



Bart led the Swingin’ Seniors Jazz Band for thirty years. The group of musicians met weekly at the Carbondale Senior Center to play those big band tunes for the lunch crowd and many other places throughout Southern Illinois. He played with several other groups; the Southern Illinois Concert Band, Ye Olde Comrades German Band, John A. Logan Band and Orchestra, Southern Swing Band, and as a fill-in for other groups. Prior to life in Carbondale, he played with the Dallas Community Band. He even played handbells at First Presbyterian Church for years.



Upon his return from China in 1984, Bart joined the local Chapter of US-China Peoples Friendship Association. He was asked to be the Faculty Advisor for the Chinese Student Association at SIUC, a position he held until he retired. As such, he met with Chinese students to prepare activities, solve problems, sponsor them coming to the US, provide housing and transportation, and build life-long friendships. A Foundation is being established at SIUC to perpetuate this endeavor, continuing with assistance to Chinese graduate students. Bart supported the Regional and National levels of USCPFA, giving presentations at Seminars and Conventions, publishing articles for US-CHINA REVIEW, meeting with chapters throughout the country, traveling to China as a representative of USCPFA, and providing essential support to his wife and the Center for Teaching About China. At the 1999 National Convention, he received the Koji Ariyoshi Award, the highest recognition for his friendship and goodwill. His most recent book was FROM FRENZI TO FRIENDSHIP: the History of US-China Peoples Friendship Association. (2016)



Memorial Services will be at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at First Presbyterian Church of Carbondale. Visitation will take place on Sunday, April 15, 2018 from 1:30 p.m. until service time at the church. Burial and Military Honor Service will be Monday, April 16, 2018.



Memorials are the preferred form of remembrance and can be made to First Presbyterian Church of Carbondale, SIUC Foundation (The Trescott Memorial Fund) and U.S. China People’s Friendship Association. Envelopes will be available at the church. Meredith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. To share a story or memory of Bart, please visit, www.meredithfh.com.