Donald Hartmann

LIFE HISTORY FOR DONALD HARTMANN
Donald John Hartmann, age 89 of Osakis, MN passed away on May 7, 2016 at the Community Memorial Home where he was a resident.
Donald was born on December 7, 1926 in Minneapolis, MN to John Otto and Gertrude (Mikel) Hartmann. When he was three years old, his parents moved to North Dakota to farm and do house construction. Donald attended various country schools in his elementary years and graduated from St. Catherine's High School in Valley City, ND in 1944. He enlisted in the US Navy on Dec. 20, 1945 and spent two years as a Fireman 1st class Electricians Mate (FIEM). After his honorable discharge in October of 1947, Don attended St. Cloud Teachers College and graduated with a BS degree in Social Studies, a BA degree in Social and Political science and a minor in History. Donald met his future wife, Charmaine Ann Brose while in college. They married July 26, 1952 at Holy Angels Church in St. Cloud, MN. God blessed them with eight children and they celebrated 63 years of marriage.
Donald had diverse working career. He was a caseworker for the Douglas County Social Welfare department. He was the first male Social Studies teacher at the Sauk Centre Home School for female juveniles. In addition, Donald was a Coca Cola distributor, a statistician at Cities Service, and a counselor at the St. Cloud Reformatory. Donald managed the Goofy Golf & Trampoline in Alexandria for a time. He also built and installed miniature golf courses. Donald was an electrician in Spirit Lake, IA as well as a school bus driver. He also drove bus and helped as a substitute teacher for the Osakis Public Schools.
Donald built several houses over the course of his life. He had accomplished skills in electrical, carpentry, plumbing, heating, cement work, block laying and excavation. Prior to his retirement, Donald was in the gravel hauling and excavation business for several years. His hobbies were reading, esp. Westerns and Science Fiction. In addition, he enjoyed going to local auctions. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars #7902 in Osakis and was a faithful member of Immaculate Conception church and belonged to the Knights of Columbus.
He is survived by his loving wife, Charmaine Hartmann of Osakis; children, Maureen (Stephen) Weitzel of Willmar, Jerome (JoAnne) Hartmann of Owatonna, Robert (Ann) Hartmann of Nashville, TN, Brian (Jayne) Hartmann of Eagle Bend, George Hartmann of Rochester, Renee (Timothy) Falk of Apple Valley, Gerald (Lori) Hartmann of Sauk Centre, Paul (Ann) Hartmann of Osakis; many grandchildren and great grandchildren; sisters, Virginia (Dick) Johnson of Spring Creek, NV and Shirley (Roger) Schahn of Bertha; brother-in-law, Ralph (Joan) Brose; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, a grandson, Jeremy Rowland and a brother, Jerome (1928).
A Mass of Resurrection will be held for Donald on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at 11:00 am at the Immaculate Conception Church in Osakis with Fr. Dave Petron officiating. Soloist is Paul Hartmann,II. Interment is at Calvary Cemetery with honorary pallbearers his grandchildren, Leslie (Holden) Baumann, Briana, Amanda, Michelle Hartmann, Melanie Falk, Jessica Hartmann, Mathew Weitzel, Amanda Geones, Michael Rowland. Active bearers are grandsons, Philip Weitzel, Ben Geones, John Hartmann, Alexander Falk, Paul Hartmann II, and Holden Baumann. Military honors are provided by the Osakis VFW and the National Guard Honor Guards.
Arrangements handled by the Roy-Hetland Funeral Home, Osakis, MN