Edward Hartman, 93, Dickinson, died on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at St. Benedict’s Health Center, Dickinson with family by his side. Edward’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Monday, August 21, 2023 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Dickinson with Fr. Robert Shea as celebrant. Military Honors will be provided by the Dickinson American Legion Post 3 Honor Guard. Inurnment will follow at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be on Sunday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ladbury Funeral Service with a rosary and vigil at 6 p.m. with Deacon Bob Stockert presiding. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the Mass at the church on Monday.
Ed was born on the family farm near Fayette, ND on January 13, 1930 to Christ and Victoria (Schmaltz) Hartman. His early years were spent on the farm, and he attended country schools nearby.
In his late teens, at a dance in Manning, he met the gal who would become his life partner, Shirley Anner. They dated for two years while Shirley finished high school, and on June 11, 1951, they were married in Dickinson. Only five months later, Ed was drafted into the Army. He left his new bride at home and headed off to serve in Korea. They were reunited a year later when he returned to civilian life and spent the next 72 years together.
Ed and Shirley raised four children in Dickinson. He worked a variety of jobs during the early years of their marriage, including driving a Hamm’s Beer delivery truck, and working at two service stations, but most of his career was spent as a brakeman for the Burlington Northern Railroad. He made a great many friends there and retired at the age of 63.
Ed enjoyed a long and active retirement. He loved fishing, boating, woodworking and building models. He and Shirley camped, traveled and were snowbirds in Arizona for 15 years. He was a lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus, the St. Anthony Club and the Elks. But his greatest joy, apart from his family, was spending time on the family farm. He loved the land.
Ed’s memory will be treasured by his survivors, his wife, Shirley; sons, Jayme (Cathy) and Paul (Rachel); daughter, Vickie (Delmer) Entzel; seven grandchildren, Niles, Sara, Emily, Josh, Corey, Ethan and Madyson; and six great-grandchildren, Jaxon, Cooper, Zane, Sophia, Quinn and Wren.
He was preceded in death by his son, Jeff; his parents; his siblings, Lee and Ralph Hartman, Polly Decker, Lea Allan and Helen Hahn; and his very special friend, Paul Klein.
The Veteran’s Honor Flight that Ed took was a very significant event in his life. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the Western North Dakota Honor Flight in his memory.
