Eugene J. Hartman, 67, Killdeer, died Monday, December 20, 2010 after a seven month long battle with lung cancer at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Health Center, Dickinson. Gene’s memorial service will be at 3 p.m., Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at St. John Lutheran Church, Killdeer with Rev. Jacob Anderson officiating. Inurnment will take place at the Grassy Butte Cemetery at a later date. Military honors will follow the Memorial service and be provided by the Killdeer American Legion Ezra Barrows Post #46. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.
Eugene was born at Dickinson on December 13, 1943 to Clementina Stroh and Anton Hartman. He spent the first years of his life at Fayette until the family moved to Dickinson where he finished school. He entered the Army in 1961 and served in the United States, Germany and a brief stint in Vietnam. After leaving the service, he embarked on a journey of many different types of jobs; type setter in San Francisco, railroad brakeman in Nebraska, as well as a Production Foreman at a Pivot Irrigation manufacturing plant in Nebraska. He moved back to North Dakota in 1976 where he worked several years for his mother and step-father on the family ranch. As the oil boom came in to North Dakota in the mid 70’s Gene purchased a welding truck and went to work in the oil patch. When the oil boom died out, he took the state insurance test and sold insurance for a period of time, also drove cattle truck and propane truck. In 1993 he began working in road construction, a career that seemed tailor made for him. Although he signed up for Social Security late last year, he was still working this summer for Kenny and Cindy at Skunk Bay, his dream job.
Gene was blessed with three children; a son Bill from a brief first marriage, and a daughter Dixie and son Lyle Dean from a second marriage. He began a relationship with his third wife Sue in 1986; they were married in 2000, but claimed 24 ½ years together as cancer came into their lives.
Gene was gifted with the ability to do many things well. He could put in crops, work with cattle, weld and fabricate, put in a garden, can vegetables, put a new engine or transmission in a car, make great Chokecherry wine, sew a dress for his wife, build an addition on the house, or work with electricity and plumbing. He learned to fly an airplane with his good friend Pete Hutchinson in the 80’s and spent many hours flying the beloved ‘Tail Dragger’. Pete claimed that Gene was the best natural pilot he ever knew. His desire to get his pilot’s license was never fulfilled. The love of planes took a twist when he became interested in RC planes. Gene spent many happy hours building and flying remote control airplanes. Gene’s planes can be found hanging in some of his favorite watering spots.
Gene became the proud owner of a Goldwing motorcycle in 2000. In 2005, he traded the first bike off for a white Goldwing. Gene and Sue enjoyed many vacations on the back of a motorcycle, seeing Yellowstone Park, Glacier Park, as well as trip to Mackinaw Island. A few weeks after he was diagnosed with lung cancer in May of this year, he made the decision to turn the white bike into a tryke. Even though his strength was failing, he finished the tryke conversion in July. After the tryke was finished, Gene and Sue made a trip to Washington, circling the state to see his niece and nephews before returning to North Dakota. Gene and Sue were yet riding on a brand new candy apple red Honda Goldwing tryke with Lyle in Colorado in September.
Gene would tell you that he had a good life and was able to do most of the things in life that he wanted. He was not with his children as they were growing up, but was able to build relationships with them as adults that filled his heart. His remark on learning that he had cancer was “It is what it is” and he faced this last challenge with great grace and courage. He will be greatly missed by all of his family.
Gene was preceded in death by his father Tony, his mother Clementina, and his brother Clemens. Gene is survived by two sisters; Connie (Chuck) Jaminson of Melsone Mont., Martina (Steve) Anderson of Killdeer; two sons, Bill (Retta) of Las Vegas, Lyle Dean (Sherri) of Brighton Colo.; one daughter, Dixie (Chris) Ganshert of Hastings Neb.; his wife Sue; a stepson, Ray Powers of Killdeer; and seven grandchildren; Deanna, Christa, Amanda, Bradley, Christopher, Jacob and Alex.
