of Little Rock, AR
May 18, 1940 - January 9, 2026
Milan Philip ''Phil'' Bartos Jr. was born on May 18, 1940, in Waco, Texas, to Milan Philip Bartos Sr. and Ruth ''Ruthie'' Beatrice Todaro Bartos. Phil was married to Janet Starkey on June 19, 1999. Their marriage was marked by companionship, mutual support, and enduring commitment, They became members of Second Presbyterian Church in 2005 before moving from Conway to Little Rock, Arkansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Russell ''Rusty'' Bartos. Phil is survived by his wife, Janet Bartos; his children: Milan Philip (Tonya) Bartos III, and their children, Britney and Kaitlyn; Stacy Ann Baugh, and her children, Cooper and Hudson; Christopher Curt Bartos, and his children, Brianna, Cassidy, and Dylan; Anne-Marie (Michael) Braga, and their children, Luciana and Dominic; Benjie Ruth Bartos and Jacquelyn (Kevin) Yarbrough and their daughter Anna; and the mother of his five children, Darla Sue Prudom Bartos. Family was central to Phil's life, and he took great pride in his children and grandchildren. He carried a strong sense of family, responsibility, and pride in his roots throughout his life.
Phil grew up in Waco, surrounded by a large, loving Italian family. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated from Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business in 1962 with a Bachelor's in Business Administration. His education laid the foundation for a successful career marked by leadership, integrity, and a global perspective.
In 1963, following his college years, Phil served 6 years in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps, achieving the rank of First Lieutenant. His service reflected his commitment to leadership and serving his country and others. That same year, Phil began his professional career at Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) in 1963, where his leadership, strong social skills and insight led to steady advancement, eventually rising to the position of President of Duns Marketing Services.
In 1964 at the beginning of his career, Phil married Darla. Together they built a family and lived throughout the United States before being transferred overseas to South Africa and the Netherlands, introducing them to other cultures, having a profound impact on their five children. Phil opened D&B's first office in Johannesburg during the height of Apartheid and as the Managing Director, promoted Black South Africans into supervisory positions for the first time. Phil was passionate about social justice and consistently fought for the rights of others, especially those without a voice.
After a successful 25-year career with D&B, Phil joined Acxiom Corporation in Conway. A D&B mentor advised him to ''always retire TO something, not FROM something'' and he took those words to heart. In 1994, during his time with Acxiom as a Vice President, Phil began teaching marketing as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). He retired from corporate life in 1995 and transitioned to a full-time position there, where he mentored countless students. Guiding them in both their professional and personal growth, he earned a reputation as a beloved professor and received numerous awards voted by students. During his two decades at UCA, Phil became project director of a market economy development program for Russian universities, funded by the Eurasia Foundation. He also served as a pro-bono consultant for minority-owned small businesses and served on multiple university committees, reflecting his commitment to service, equity, collaboration, and institutional leadership. After retiring from education in 2015, Phil continued his lifelong commitment to helping others and used his warmth and compassion as a ''professional'' volunteer at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock.
Phil was deeply involved in numerous civic and community organizations. Most important to him were the Sales and Marketing Executives associations in multiple states; the Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County; the UCA Theatre Foundation; Making Kids Count; the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce; the Conway Regional Medical Center Foundation Board; the Metro Little Rock Alliance; Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) of Conway; and St. Joseph's Annual Bazaar.
Phil will be remembered with respect and affection for his kindness, his wisdom and his moral courage. He made an impact on countless lives, and his legacy lives on through his family; former students, co-workers, employees; and the many communities he served across the globe.
A Heavenly Birthday Celebration of Phil's life will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Phil's memory to the Bartos Family Scholarship Fund at the University of Central Arkansas Foundation, the Arkansas Food Bank, the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, the Little Rock Compassion Center, Meals on Wheels through CareLink, The Alzheimer's Foundation of America or Plant a Tree Memorial at www.alivingtribute.org or multiple trees at www.plantmemorialtree.com.
And finally, Phil would want to encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote.