Leslie E. Bartley

Reverend Leslie E. Bartley, Ph.D., age 78, of Shreveport stepped from this life into the arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Dr. Bartley was an Assemblies of God minister, missionary, and educator. He always stated that he was more of a teacher than a preacher. Dr. Bartley's life journey relied upon two guiding principles. First, a commitment to serve the Lord Jesus Christ with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your mind. He could often be heard quoting “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6). Second, the family must be sustained in a loving and safe environment that is a home and not just a house.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Bethel Assembly of God Church, 5801 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop in Shreveport, Louisiana. Burial will follow at Centuries Memorial Park Cemetery, 8801 Mansfield Rd. in Shreveport. A visitation will be held on Monday, May 11, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Dr. in Shreveport. Officiating the service will be Rev. Ray Holman.

Dr. Bartley was an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God for 54 years and engaged in Christian ministry for sixty years. Dr. Bartley was a pastor for eight churches in East Texas, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Jamaica, WI. He served as a foreign missionary for eight years and as a US missionary for 36 years. Dr. Bartley served as a public-school teacher and principal in Texas from 1972 to 1982. He earned a B.A. from Northwestern State University, as well as two M.Ed. and a Ph.D. from Walden University to augment his career and ministry. During his time in Jamaica, he established two bible colleges (Christiana and Kingston), and served as the president and professor of the colleges. In 2008, Dr. Bartley received the special honor of being the keynote speaker for Jamaica’s Assemblies of God General Council. He was proud that six students from the first graduating class in Christiana are still extremely active in ministry and part of General Council in Jamaica. In the states, he continued to serve as bible college administrators and faculty at American Indian College (Phoenix, AZ), Metropolitan Bible Institute (Newark, NJ), the School of Urban Ministry (Oakland, CA) and Bridges Christian College (New Orleans, LA). He was a long-time member of Bethel Assembly of God, and ministered to seniors in Shreveport. In June of 2022, Dr. Bartley was recognized by the General Council of the Assemblies of God for 50 years of ministry.

Dr. Bartley was born on July 19, 1947, to Eldridge and Ruth Earline Bartley, who preceded him in death. Those left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of almost 53 years, Frances Bartley; a son, John Bartley; a daughter, Aundrea Bartley; a granddaughter, Ramona Grimes; a brother, Kenneth Bartley and sister-in-law Pam; two sisters, Karen Curfman, Cynthia Rose and brother-in-law Kent; and brother-in-law, Olen Hulsey; and numerous nieces and nephews.