HR0458 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0458 LRB097 12410 KXB 56886 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Stephen Ray Hartman of St. Joseph, who passed away on May 31, 2011; and

WHEREAS, He was born on October 20, 1946, in Paxton, a son of Lyon Weldon Hartman and Dorothy Fritzen Hartman; he graduated from Champaign High School in 1964, and from the University of Illinois in 1969, with a degree in ornamental horticulture; after graduation, he began his 42-year career as a self-employed real estate developer; and

WHEREAS, In the early years, he built houses, room additions, and small apartment buildings; he later specialized in campus apartments, eventually joining his brothers, Jeffrey Hartman and Michael Hartman, to form JSM Apartments and other partnership entities; he was an integral part of the Campustown 2000 Green Street improvement initiative; he was a loyal Illini, a lifetime member of the President's Council, and a member of the Loyalty Circle; he loved to wear his orange and blue and cheer on the football and basketball teams; and

WHEREAS, He sailed Flying Scot sailboats and participated in many one-design regattas; he especially loved to go to the mid-winter regatta in Florida; for years he helped host the Glow-In-The-Dark Regatta at Clinton Lake, with Flying Scot sailors coming from all over the country; and

WHEREAS, He is remembered as having a "larger than life" personality; he was always active in the community; he was a member of the St. Joseph-Ogden School Board for 12 years; he was interested and involved in Parkland College, and served multiple terms on the Parkland College Foundation Board; and he was Chair of the local Republican Party for some time; and

WHEREAS, He loved to travel, especially to Paris and Bavaria; he was an avid gardener, recently starting an orchid-growing hobby; he was proud of his ability to tie many kinds of knots; the Doobie Brothers, Rolling Stones, and any kind of vintage rock, was always playing in the background of the euchre games; he was a true foodie, with an extensive menu collection; he was an accomplished cook and could turn out dozens of the world's best cheeseburgers; and

WHEREAS, He loved the Boy Scouts; he was active in scouting for decades; he started as a Webelos leader of Pack 40 in St. Joseph, he progressed to Troop 40 Troop Committee, Scoutmaster, then Assistant Scoutmaster; he guided his son, Dennis, through becoming an Eagle Scout; he was active in many projects at Camp Drake, and cooked for many Klondike Derbies and other events; he was a Vigil member of Order of the Arrow; in 2001, he received the Silver Beaver, the highest award a volunteer can attain; and

WHEREAS, Stephen Hartman is survived by his wife, Laura; his daughter, Marianne L. Hartman Tichenor (Christopher); his son, Peter E. Hartman (Melissa Johnson Hartman); his daughter, Nancy E. Bussell (Eric); his son, Dennis R. Hartman (Andrea Wilbon Hartman); his grandchildren, Colette and Conrad Tichenor; his brothers, Michael R. Hartman (Debra) and Jeffrey R. Hartman (Sarah); his nephews, Christopher Hartman (Gozen), Patrick Hartman (Leslie), and Andrew Hartman; his nieces, Rachel Hartman, Lauren Hartman, and Michelle Ferrell; and many other young people in the community who might as well be his sons/daughters; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Stephen Hartman; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Stephen Hartman as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.