Charlotte M. Hartman

Charlotte M. Hartman, 86, died Saturday, October 20, 2012 at FHN Memorial Hospital. She was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in July of 1926 to Charles and Elsie Marks. She moved to Chicago as an infant with her family. After graduating high school, Charlotte was a professional singer and actress touring the Midwest when she met her former husband, Basil, a performer and radio announcer. In 1951, she and Basil opened Hartman'™s TV & Appliances in Freeport. Charlotte was active in the business until its closure. She was an inspiration to local women, saying 'A woman'™s place is... any place she wanted to be.' She is survived by her three sons: Judge (retired) Charles R. Hartman (Cheryl) of Freeport; Michael D. Hartman (Huguette) of Prince Edward Island, Canada; Gregory A. Hartman of Freeport; former daughter-in-law, Debra J. Hartman of Freeport; nine grandchildren Charles (Kristen) Hartman, Julie Hartman, Seth Franzen, Anne-Marie Hartman, Barney Franzen, Josh Franzen, Rachel (Andrew) Staats, Alicia (Robbie) Ashley, Steven Hartman; four great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Alice Russell; and many nieces and nephews, cousins and special friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, former husband, daughter-in-law June Hartman, her brother Mark Russell and sister June Wischmeyer. Charlotte was a member of a St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, several area bridge clubs and while her health still allowed, an active volunteer at Freeport Hospice, Mother Hubbard'™s Cupboard, and P.A.D.S. where she was named Volunteer of the Year. She was also a volunteer at The ARC and with the mentally disabled in Freeport for many years; she stayed in contact with several of her special friends until her passing. Charlotte belonged to many local organizations including: the Freeport Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber Governing Board, The Freeport Community Concert, Freeport Country Club, Daughters of the American Revolution, Freeport Garden Club, the former Germania Club, Girl Scouts of America, Illinois Nature Conservancy, League of Women Voters, Mothers for Peace, Newcomers Club, Audubon Society, PETA, Winneshiek Theatre, Freeport YWCA Board Member, and the Freeport YMCA. A lover of animals, she was a supporter of the Freeport Humane Society and always had a dog or cat; her dog Beau regularly went to work with her at Hartman'™s. Charlotte was a pioneer for local women in business and was recognized with the YWCA'™S 'Women of Excellence - Business Winner' in 1999. In 1985, she was appointed by Illinois Governor Jim Thompson to be Northern Illinois Representative on an Illinois Business Panel. In 1960, she was the first woman elected to the national board of directors of NARDA, a North American trade association. She also served as a board member of Freeport Memorial Hospital (and then Freeport Health Network) and was a member of the FHN Hospice Board. Charlotte was a world traveler. She once remarked that it might have been foolish to leave the hotel and walk through the city during the street fighting in Beirut, Lebanon, but 'I wanted to see the city before it was blown up, so I was not staying in my hotel!' As her health allowed, she would travel with her sister June to visit their brother Mark in Florida and to Prince Edward Island to visit her son Mike and his family. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 29 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with a visitation from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. Visitation will be held Sunday, October 28 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home 504 N. Walnut Avenue in Freeport with a scripture service at 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in her memory.