Adam David Hartmann, age 92, formerly of Menomonee Falls, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 8, at The Courtyard of Sussex, where he resided for 3 1/2 months.
Adam was born July 31, 1932, in New Holstein, Wisconsin, the ninth of the late Edward Sr. and Elizabeth (nee Dorn) Hartmann’s 13 children. Raised on the family dairy farm in New Holstein, he knew the importance of hard work as well as the love of family.
He attended St. Anna Catholic School and graduated from New Holstein High School, where he competed in track and wrestling. After a 17-month stint in the United States Army, where he was stationed in Germany, he met love of his life, Anita, at a dance in Sheboygan. Twenty-two months later, they were married and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, eventually starting a family and building a house in Menomonee Falls, where they raised their 3 children.
The Catholic faith was important to Adam. He grew up in a deeply religious Catholic family. While living in Menomonee Falls, he and Anita were members of Good Shepherd Catholic Church prior to joining St. Mary’s Catholic Church in the late 1960s.
He spent 34 years working as a draftsman, supervisor, and trainer, the majority with Jorgensen Conveyers. In his free time, Adam loved spending time with his family, gardening, fishing, hunting, visiting, and playing sheepshead. He had a thirst for learning and spent his lunch hours at the library, reading and researching topics of interest. Although an appendectomy and growing family derailed his dream of further education, he shared his love of education with his children, taking them to the library weekly, reading to them, helping them memorize math facts, and working on homework.
He was always patient and kind, taking time to explain things to neighborhood children, even when he wanted to finish yard work, untangling his children’s fishing lines and freeing the hooks that inevitably became embedded in his or one of their shirts as they learned to cast. He taught them to ride bikes, garden, drive a car, and be responsible for themselves and others.
Even after a long day at work, he would almost never say no to a request from his children, requiring more of his time and energy, such as renting a leaky rowboat to fish for bass and panfish at his favorite spot on Amy Belle Lake, then having to clean the fish well into the night. He would often throw a football, shoot hoops or hit a baseball for hours without complaint or hesitation.
As Anita would say, he never let grass grow under his feet. If one offered to do a chore and didn’t start quickly, he would have it done, not complain, and have moved on to the next project. He retired at age 59 to travel with Anita, spend time with his children and grandchildren, and pursue his other hobbies and interests. He valued his health, taking care to eat well, and biked or walked for over an hour daily while retired. He mowed the lawn and shoveled snow until he was in his late 80s. Most of all he loved his family, dropping his plans to attend a school function, rescue a stalled car, help with a move, stain a new house, assist with laying a concrete driveway, build shelves or a cat scratching post, screen in a balcony, chase a grandchild or grill chicken to perfection. He had a positive outlook on life, hoped to live to 100, and said he was never bored or depressed.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Anita (nee Bubolz), children Sandy (John) Schultz, Keith (Kristi) Hartmann, and Julie Hartmann, grandchildren Kyle (Billie Weber) Hartmann and Korey Hartmann, great-grandson Edwin Adam Hartmann; siblings, Sr. Theresa and Hugo Hartmann; sisters-in-law Carol Jean Bubolz, Nancy Tewelis, Janice Free, Jean Henschel, and Carol Dahler; brother-in-law Gervase Meyers, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by siblings Sr. Monica Mary, Herman, Sr. Mary John, George, Sr. Mary Edward, Frances "Frank", Alphonse "Al", Frederick "Fritz", Edward, and Ann Meyers as well as sisters-in-law, Magdelene "Mutzie", Loretta, Patricia "Pat", Gladys, Patricia "Pat" and Delores Hartmann; brothers-in-law Marvin Free, Vernon Henschel, Eugene Bubolz, and Jack Dahler, and niece Lynn Gischia as well as his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Raymond and Veronica Bubolz.
A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, June 18, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, N89 W16297 Cleveland Ave., Menomonee Falls. Visitation will be held at church from 9:15 a.m. until the start of the mass. It was Adam's desire to have a closed casket. Burial will follow at St. Mary's cemetery with military honors. A luncheon and celebration of life will begin approximately at noon at Delta Hotels by Marriott Milwaukee Northwest, N88 W14750 Main St., Menomonee Falls. Memorials can be sent to the American Diabetes Association, Feeding America or St. Mary's Parish in Menomonee Falls.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Congregational Home, The Courtyard of Sussex, Agrace Hospice, and Hayley Kalkhoff for the love, kindness and care Adam received. He appreciated all of you.
