GARY JOHN HARTMAN

Gary was born in Alpena on Aug. 21, 1936, to the late Ernest and June (Sanborn) Hartman. He married Mary Ellen Henry on July 11, 1959. He was a four-year veteran of the United States Navy, serving on the Escort Destroyer USS Foss; and he witnessed 18 atomic and two hydrogen bomb detonations as part of Operation Hard Tack at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. He attended Alpena Community College for a year, and then was hired by the Huron Portland Cement Company (Alpena) where he primarily performed drafting and engineering tasks for 27 years; followed by two years at CSI Industries (Grayling); and then 11 years at Eagle Engineering (Alpena) before his retirement in 2002. He loved music immensely; his high school yearbook quote beneath his photo stated: “Music hath charms to sooth the savage beast.” He performed in the Besser Chorus, the Red Stocking Review, the Alpena Civic Orchestra, the Alpena City Band, and sang in the choir at Trinity Episcopal Church for many years. He sang and played the harmonica and ukulele at the MediLodge of Alpena each month for the better part of the last year. He was a member of the Oakland Hunt Club in Curran, Michigan for 38 years. He also volunteered hundreds of hours supporting civic organizations (United Commercial Travelers and the Optimist Club) and various youth activities (managing or coaching hockey, baseball, and softball teams for well over a decade, timekeeper for the Alpena Senior High School hockey team for several years, and teaching all of the neighborhood kids how to skate on the backyard rink on Lincoln Street that he flooded each night every winter — complete with boards, full size hockey nets, and floodlights for night action).

Surviving are: his wife Mary; three children: Kevin J. (Sally) Hartman, Kathy (Del) Ferris, and Karl Hartman; six grandchildren: Geoffrey, Genna, Gordon, Derek, Travis, and John Hartman; stepgranddaughter Jessica (Kevin) Szott; three great-grandchildren; siblings: Sally (John) Neil, and Dale Hartman; and numerous other nieces and nephews.

Mr. Hartman was preceded in death by his brothers: James (Lynn) Hartman, and Darwin (Shirley) Hartman.

Memorial visitation will take place Friday, July 1, 2022, at Bannan Funeral Home from 1 p.m. until the memorial service at 4 p.m. with the Very Reverend William J. McClure Jr. officiating. Military honors accorded him by Alpena VFW Post 2496 to follow.

Inurnment: Trinity Episcopal Church

Donations: The Alpena City Band