According to government records Donald Clive Hartman was born on May 17, 1935, in Sterling IL. The first child of Ben Myron and Hazel Mae (Wink) Hartman. He graduated high school in Schaller, IA in 1953, was married to Lenora Lucille Olsen on June 6, 1954. Died on August 28, 2022, at age 87. But as Paul Harvey used to say, here is the rest of the story…

Don was born at the home of his maternal Grandfather, Clive Wink. After living in Sterling long enough to start school, his family returned to the community of Schaller, IA. He was raised mostly on farms and learned the meaning of hard work from a young age.  At age 16 he made a decision that would determine the trajectory of his life for the next 71 years.  While earning money detasseling corn during the summer of 1951, he was selected to drive a tractor up and down the rows with 6-8 young ladies detasseling the corn. Not a bad job for a 16-year-old young man. In the middle of their work, Don heard a couple of the girls talking about wanting to go over to Odebolt, IA to the fair. Never one to miss an opportunity to entertain young ladies, Don volunteered to drive them. That day, August 1, 1951, proved to be the start of a 71-year love affair between Don and Lenora. After graduating from high school in 1953 Don followed Lenora to Omaha where he attended Commercial Extension Business College and graduated in 1954.  Three years after they began dating, Don and Lenora were married in the Presbyterian church in Schaller, IA on June 6, 1954. They returned to Omaha, NE, where Don began to work at Swift & Co. He started out as accountant for Swift and worked his way up to Transportation Manager. He spent the next 33 years working at Swift plants in Omaha, NE; Ogden, UT; and Kansas City. While in Omaha, the young couple started their family with Carol being born in 1955, followed by Janet in 1958, and finally Keith in 1959.  While living in Ogden, UT, Don and Lenora discovered the joys of trailer camping, which would play a major part of their lives in the future. Upon arrival to KC in 1971 one of Don’s coworkers mentioned that he and his wife square danced and invited Don to check it out as it was a good way to get to know people in their new city. Taking this as good advice, Don and Lenora began a hobby that would provide them with great joy for the next 38 years as members of the Top Railers square dance club.  Upon settling in to live in Overland Park, they joined Knox United Presbyterian Church and were faithful members for 24 years. Don and Lenora discovered the joys of being Grandparents beginning with step-grandson, John Forsythe, followed by the birth of Heather and Peter in 1982, then Michelle and Ryan in 1987, and Kevin in 1989.  In 1984 with the itch to travel more, Don and Lenora sold their house and bought a Carriage fifth wheel RV in preparation for their future plans to travel full time when Don retired.  The opportunity to retire from Swift arose in 1987 and they quickly hit the road. From 1987 to 1993 Don and Lenora covered the country in their bright red Ford dually and Carriage fifth wheel trailer. During this time, they took their grandkids many places and created unforgettable memories for their grandkids and themselves. During their travels Don got to exercise his gift of gab and they made many friends throughout the country.  In 1994 they settled down in Lee’s Summit, MO and Don began his second career as school bus driver for Lee’s Summit School District. Don quickly became a favorite of many of the kids and parents he drove for.  Don considered all the kids that rode his bus “his kids” and enjoyed watching them grow up year after year. In 2004, Don and Keith attended an International Harvester Collectors Club Red Power Round up in Iowa. Keith concluded that they needed better embroidered hats and jackets. This led to the next 10 years spending a week every summer at different places around the country selling hats, shirts, and jackets and gave Don a great opportunity to tell farm stories from his youth. In 2009 Don retired a second time after 15 years as a bus driver.  Don and Lenora enjoyed watching their grandkids grow up and attended all of their high school graduations and cheered them on as they married and began families of their own.  In 2008 the great-grandkids began to arrive, beginning with Jacob in 2008, Madoline in 2013, Matilda in 2017, Lucille in 2018, Gehrig in 2019, and Elsie in 2020. Don loved seeing and being with all of the great-grandkids.

In addition to leaving behind his wife of 68 years, 3 children, 6 grandkids, and 6 great-grandkids, he leaves much-loved family members including sister Karen (Hartman) Todd and husband Robert Todd of Waterloo, IA; brother Glenn and wife Sally Hartman of Auburndale, WI; and many extended family members.  Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants.”  Don will be deeply missed but we believe that he is busy renewing old relationships with friends and family in his eternal home with our Lord Jesus Christ.

A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday, September 25, 2022, 1:30-3:30 p.m., open house style with a memory tribute at 2:00 p.m. It will be held in the community room at Connect 55+ apartments at 19301 E 50th Terr S, Independence, MO 64055.

Obituary submitted by family.

Arrangements:  Royer Funeral Home, Grain Valley, MO   816-847-4441