Marjorie Thelma Reed Hartman

September 26, 1920 - March 26, 2021

Marjorie Thelma Reed Hartman, 100, a resident of Cape Coral for the last 45 years, passed away March 26, 2021 at her home in Cape Coral. Born in South Bend, IN on September 26, 1920 to Leroy Edward and Nellie Pearl Shafer Reed who preceded her in death as well as her big brothers, Everett and Gordon, and baby sister Martha Jane Meacham and daughter Paula Gail Snyder.

Raised on a family farm in rural Kidder County, North Dakota during the Depression, she graduated from Barnesville, MN High school in 1938. Going to work as a housekeeper to help her Mother send her sister through nursing school in Minneapolis. Moving back to South Bend to live with family, she worked for Bendix Corporation during World War II as an award winning inspector. It was there that she met her future husband, Oren L. Hartman.

Married April 23, 1949, she shared life, love and laughter with him for over 50 years until his passing in 2000. Traveling together across the country to visit historical landmarks and family, returning to their retirement home as they watched the city of Cape Coral grow.

An avid baker and cook whose treats were legendary, she was often called upon to assist at her children’s school and Cub Scouts and Camp Fire Girls meetings. Loved and revered as a gentle soul by family and friends as an expert seamstress and adept at wielding knitting needles and crochet hooks. An Honorary Lifetime Member of the Cape Coral Hobby Club, she enjoyed trading craft projects and luncheons with her gal pals. Knitting caps for preemie babies and sweaters for indigent children were a source of great pride for her.

A lifelong lover of books, Marjorie listened countless Talking Books supplied through the Lee County Library System after macular degeneration robbed her of her reading pleasure. A fan of big band music, Lawrence Welk was her favorite.

Survived by her sons, Bruce Alan Hartman (Carol) and Craig Oren Hartman (damn ornery kids) both of  Cape Coral; a little sister, Geraldine Rose Reed Hasskamp of Klamath Falls, OR; granddaughters, Amanda Hartman of Cape Coral, Jessica Snyder Woods of Grabill, IN and Amy Snyder of Fort Wayne, In; seven great grandchildren and a whole passel of cousins, nieces and nephews.

No formal service is planned at this time.

Her final resting place will be in South Bend which she always considered her home.

In lieu of flowers (nothing against florists, but she was the one with a green thumb), we suggest any Memorial Contributions could be made to Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), 9800 South Healthpark Drive, Suite 405, Fort Myers, FL 33908 in Memory of Marjorie Thelma Reed Hartman.

Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.

Guestbook

  1. Cheryl Gridley Apr 7, 2021 at 10:06 pm

    You did a great job Craig. Be strong.. So sorry. Joan and Cheryl

  2. Carol Hasskamp Valdez Apr 8, 2021 at 1:05 am

    Very nice! She would laugh at this!

  3. Pat Thompson Apr 8, 2021 at 10:41 am

    What a nice obituary. It sums up her life so well. She will be missed.

  4. Betty Lou Lubelski Apr 8, 2021 at 11:18 am

    Love the picture of her. Nice Obituary she would have like it. She will be missed.

  5. Doris Hill Apr 8, 2021 at 7:49 pm

    I am so sorry to hear that Aunt marge passed away could you send me a copy of her obituary my address is 701 9th St N W Jamestown Nd 58401. Thanks Doris Hill

  6. Georgiana Fuchs Apr 8, 2021 at 8:30 pm

    You described her just the way I remember her. I am certain you will miss her. Enjoy the memories.

  7. Kathy Tice Felten Apr 19, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    We spent many evenings in her home in South Bend when we were growing up. Oren was Damon Tice’s boss at Bendix but our two families were friends. I still have the pearls that she got me for Christmas one year. She always gave us such thoughtful gifts; and he always had the latest electronic gadgets. He even had one of those first voice recorders that record on wire. They had television way before we did. My mom was so envious that Marge had a mangle ironer. Also, Oren always drove an Oldsmobile, usually a ’98. Marge was such a wonderful hostess. Ah, the memories of childhood were replenished today as I read this obit. What a full and wonderful life she lead. How proud you must have been of her as she was of you — damn ornery kids!

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