Bruce Hartman

1916-2011

I have had an emotional roller coaster of a week. I had lost a very important man in my life. My Great Grandpa Bruce Hartman. I'm happy to know he is with his loving Wife Anna Olsen Hartman and other loving family members. Im sad to see him go. I thought me whole life he would always be here with us. I took to much for grant with him being here and have always been here. I really wanted to get a 5 generation picture with Jaxie and never got it. But mom (angie) says that she has one with Jaxie and grandpa. I hope we find it.
Grandpa would recite poems, song, jokes. If you would give him the time he would talk your ear off. I do not know any one that was a sharp as he was even to the last day.

He loved to drive. Oh boy did he love to drive. Luckily everyone in Altamont knew to look out for grandpa. He was losing his eye sight and most of his hearing.He drove up to the day before he died.




At his funeral it was a great service. Rachel made up a flyer of things he had lived through. All I could say was he lived through everything. All of the Wars. Like what my mom said when Rachel and her was doing his history and how many presidents he had lived through "this one did him in".. ha ha we all laughed at that one. At the grave site Rachel played his and probably all of us kids favorite song. I had always thought he made this up but he had not. He heard it and could recite it. He would recite it every time we seen him. Grandpa called it "Sweet Annabell" (after grandma Anna his wife). It was actually called 

Down by the
Railroad Tracks

I had a girl named Annabelle
She thought the world of me
But of some cause her family
And I could not agree
And if I went there to her place
It'd surely start a fight
So for that reason we would take
A walk each Wednesday night Down by the railroad tracks
Down by the railroad tracks
We'd sit for hours and hours and hours
Down by the railroad tracks Some prople spoon in parlor chairs
And some in Ford sedans
But Annabelle and I we had
To make some other plans
We couldn't use the parlor
And we had no Ford you see
So for that reason you would find
Sweet Annabelle and me. Down by the railroad tracks
Down by the railroad tracks
I'd hold her and and she'd hold mine
Down by the railroad tracks
I courted her for seven months
Untill one summer day
Her old man found it out and then
There was the dues to pay
He said "Young man, come here to me.
I want a word with you!"
Where'd ya think I found myself
When finally I came to?
Down by the Railroad Tracks
Down by the Railroad Tracks
The birds were singing merrily
Down by the Railroad Tracks
We're married now and settled down
With children of our own.
Across the door there hangs a sign
That says "God Bless Our Home"
Both she and I take a walk each night
But up and down the floor.
Trying to get those kids to sleep
We never walk no more
Down by the Railroad Tracks
Down by the Railroad Tracks
I wonder who is there tonight
Down by the Railroad Tracks [Image] The other day my little girl says
"Momma tell me do!
Do the good girls go to heaven?
Do the bad girls go there to?"
"Just good girls go to heaven."
The mother softly sighed
"But Momma, Where do bad the girls go?"
Annabelle replied "Down by the Railroad Tracks
Down by the Railroad Tracks
Now run and play and don't you stray
Down by the Railroad Tracks!"

 


It was so special for me. Most of us chimed in at the end and sang along. I think Grandpa  loved to hear all of us grandkids sing that.

Grandpa had 3 children, 11 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren, and 4 great great grandchildren. He love each and everyone of us equally the same. He remember everyone birthday up till the last couple years. He made sure each of us got something from him. He also bought I think every grandchild that got married a TV. Grandpa loved his TV. I remember when Wayne and I got ours. Cynthia and Grandpa made a special trip out to the city for to pick out Wayne and I's TV. He like ours so much he bought himself one. Grandpa loved the JAZZ.. Im pretty sure he was upset to know they may not play this year. He would call mom and dad to tell them that they were playing or if there was an old movie on or bull rides were on. When he called you would have to hold the phone away from you ear for he would yell into it. He loved his phones also. When cell phones came out I think he may would have been on of the first ones to have one.
Grandpa we love you, and will miss you. Please watch over us and protect us. Till we meet again.

"There was a pony his name was Jack, 

I put him in a barn,

and jumped throw a crack" 

(there are to many to repeat)