Gary Hartman

Service for Gary Wayne Hartman will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Worth Baptist Church in Fort Worth.

The Life of Gary Wayne Hartman: Son, Brother, Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Great-Grandfather. Our brother was born on March 1, 1954, in Riverside Hospital, Ft. Worth, Texas to Clarence Burton Hartman, Jr., and Peggy Lois (Jeter) Hartman. He was the second son in the family that would eventually grow to nine children.

There were very few early childhood memories, except I remember playing in a sand quarry across the street from our house in Torrence, California. Early in our life, David, Gary and Teddy were sent from California to Pennsylvania to live with our father because of financial struggles. We struggled at first in our new home and with our new family living in a small 2-bedroom house in the old base housing of Indian Head Naval Ordinance Station, Maryland. There was now a stepmom and 3 stepbrothers to contend with. I remember the good times of playing baseball together with Gary on the same team coached by our father. For extra space, we moved to a 3-bedroom apartment in Marbury, Maryland. Gary and I were close until our senior and junior years in Lackey High School. We were very active as volunteers with the 10th District Volunteer Fire Department. We were competitive at night trying to beat each other running the 150 yards up the street to ride the truck. We played football with friends in the field next to the fire house. Gary struggled with attendance at school and ultimately dropped out in his senior year.
Gary enlisted in the Air Force on March 29, 1972, and that same year he married his first wife, Karen Rae (McPhearson) Fledpouch, the mother of his 3 children. After a rewarding career as a Missile Maintenance Technician and Electrician Systems Craftsman, Gary retired from the Air Force with the rank of Master Sergeant on March 31, 1996. He had a decorated career: Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 device, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 devices, Air Force Training Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with 4 devices, NCO Professional Military Service Ribbon with 1 device, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Rifle/Ribbon, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 4 devices, and Air Force Good Conduct Medal with 6 devices. He served from August 2, 1990, to March 31, 1996, in support of Operation Desert Storm/Shield. I remember Cindy and I visiting Gary and Karen while they were stationed at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. We had a great time at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Our father and little brother, Tim, met us there.
Gary and his family moved around the US and to the Philippines during his Air Force Career. Cindy and I followed his move to the Philippines a couple of years after him. We even had the same house girl – Lilibeth “Beth”.
Later in life our paths crossed at reunions and other family get-togethers. Gary stayed with Cindy and me at our house in York, Pennsylvania during COVID. After buying our 5th-wheel RV, Gary became a full-time RVer travelling around the country reconnecting with his kids, grandchildren and great- grandchildren.
Gary had to stop travelling while camping in Texas when his health took a turn. Christopher travelled to Texas and took Gary back to Arkansas for treatment so he and Alicia could take care of him.

Gary went to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on December 29, 2023, after a struggle with cancer. He passed in the arms of his wife, Debra, while in hospice care in the VA hospital, Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was preceded in death by our father: Clarence Burton Hartman, Jr., and our half-brother: Tommy Doghyian.

He is survived by our mother: Peggy Lois (Jeter) Burruss, his wife: Debra (New) Hartman, daughter: Jennifer LaCavalier and sons: Christopher and Nicholis as well as 10 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. He is also survived by 3 brothers: David, Teddy, and Tim; 2 sisters: Pamela Jordan and Brenda Trester and 2 half-sisters: Cynthia Magnusen and Tammy Miller.