Thomas D. Hartman, age 77, of West Highland Apartments, Escanaba (formerly of Gladstone) died Tuesday morning March 25, 2008 at the St. Francis Hospital in Escanaba.
Thomas was born December 11, 1930 in Quinter, KS the son of Wendelin and Susanna (Ochs) Hartman. Tom was raised in Kansas where he graduated from high school. Following graduation, Tom served his country in the U.S. Air Force from 1950 to 1953. He was united in marriage to the former Roberta “Bobbie” Rabitoy on March 3, 1952. Together they moved the family belongings from Grainfield, Kansas to Gladstone in August of 1959. His first employment was Bergeron Contracting. For two weeks he helped on the roof of the Robertson Warehouse. He then began his 34 year employment with Mead Paper Company, retiring in 1993. During the first 15 years in Gladstone, the family moved 10 times. Tom would buy, relocate, and refurbish old houses. In 1966, he built the house at 416 South 17th Street in which the family lived for 8 years (7 of those years, the home was also an Adult Foster Care Home). On September 1, 1974 the family moved to 1701 Lake Shore and started up a second Adult Foster Care Home for another 7 years. With all of the above, Tom also worked part-time for State Wide Real Estate from 1963 to 1977.
Tom was a member of the All Saints Church in Gladstone where he served on the Ministry of Praise and donated vegetables from his garden to the All Saints Church Harvest Dinner. He was a member of the Gladstone American Legion Post #71 and a former member of the Knights of Columbus in Kansas. Tom loved working in his garden and playing cards and bingo.
In addition to his wife, Bobbie, survivors include:
4 sons; David (Desiree) Hartman of Gladstone, William (Donna) Hartman, and Dale and Bruce Hartman, all of Sheboygan, WI
3 daughters; Debbie (Lester) Richer of Bark River, Susan (David) Lancour of Cleveland, WI, Darlene (Jeremy) Butzen of Sheboygan, WI
1 brother; John (Myrna) Hartman of St. Joseph, MO
3 sisters; Helen Grace of St. Joseph, MO, Mary Heier, Grainfield, KS and Florence (Larry) Goetz of KS
Son-in-law; Perry St. Cyr of Flat Rock
Sister-in-law: Vera Hartman of Grainfield, Kansas
29 grandchildren and many great grandchildren
Numerous nieces and nephews
In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by two daughters, Linda Hartman and Deloris St. Cyr, two brothers, Anthony and LeRoy Hartman and two brother-in-laws, Ed Grace and Frank Heier.
Private visitation with military rites will be held at the Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone. Due to construction at All Saints Church, public Mass of Christian Burial Services celebrating the life of Thomas D. Hartman will be held on Saturday at 12 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Gladstone with Rev. Fr. Arnold Grambow of All Saints Church officiating. Burial will be in the Gardens of Rest Cemetery in Wells.
