Kelly Bartley memorial award

In the fall of 2001 a small group of students assembled from all corners of the country. All of us driven by dreams of becoming professional aviators, living a life among the clouds.

Forged together under unique circumstances, away from our homes and our families, we created friendships that would change us forever. Continuously facing the pressure of being full time college students we were also full-time flight school students.

Kelly handled this pressure differently. She held us all together with her high spirits, her incredibly uplifting personality, and her ability to make you smile when the going got tough. She held us together in some of the most difficult situations any young person can face.

Her dedication to being a professional pilot made her an asset to us all during flight exams and evaluations. Her smile and witty banter would relax the room, and her aviation knowledge led us successfully past those exams and evaluations.

It was more than this that made Kelly an outstanding human being. It was her ability to balance professional goals while living her life to fullest—but most importantly she put her family first. Her ability to prioritize what is really important in life will forever be remembered.

Kelly made us laugh, made us smile, she looked out for us, she enriched our lives. She forever changed the people who were lucky enough to have known her. She taught us what is really important in life.

In memory of Kelly’s love for aviation, and to honour her husband Shaun, son Shea and daughter Payton we are establishing the Kelly Bartley Memorial Award at Mount Royal University. This award in Kelly’s memory is a legacy that will help future aviation students realize their dreams. It will also ensure her passion for aviation lives on for many years to come.

“There is more to life than being a passenger”
- Amelia Earhart