Ruth Elaine Hartman Obituary (1924 - 2021)

Ruth Elaine Hartman died February 6, 2021. She was born June 27, 1924 in St. Paul, Minnesota, to David and Katherine (Goldberg) Skadron. Later, the family moved to the little town of Bowbells, North Dakota, where Ruth’s father owned a grocery store. After his death when Ruth was just 13, the family returned to St. Paul, where Ruth remained until she married. Just after the end of World War II, Ruth met the love of her life, a recently returned soldier, Samuel Hartman, at a dance at the Nicollet Hotel in Minneapolis, where he told her during their very first dance, “I’m going to marry you.” She laughed it off, but two months later, they did indeed marry. The newlyweds moved to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, where Samuel, his father and brothers operated a hide and fur and scrap metal recycling business, and it was there that Samuel and Ruth raised their three boys and lived a contented, small town life. Ruth was a consummate loving, doting wife and mother, tirelessly nurturing and guiding her boys; a community volunteer — heading the Big Brothers organization of Detroit Lakes, tutoring elementary school students in reading, and serving as den mother for a Cub Scout troop. In their later years together, Samuel and Ruth enjoyed winters on Sanibel Island, where they both enjoyed the warmth, the sun and birdwatching at Ding Darling. After Samuel’s death in 1997, Ruth returned to the Twin Cities, where she energetically championed landscaping and music initiatives for her residence at Knollwood Place. Ruth enjoyed theater, music, oil painting (creating fun, whimsical pieces which are prized by her family). Later, she studied voice at the MacPhail School, where she enthusiastically participated in voice recitals, showing off her lovely singing voice and stage presence. She followed current events, and she was passionately inquisitive about anything that interested her, whether it was birds or presidential candidates. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, David and Katherine; husband, Samuel; sister, Sylvia Bloomberg; brother, Dr. Stanley Skadron; grandson, Dr. Benjamin Hartman; and her dear friends Isadore Davis and Walter Lubov. She is survived by her three adoring sons, Dr. David (Jo Ellen) Hartman, Robert (Nancy) Hartman, and Morrie (Dr. Michael Bahr) Hartman; grandchildren, Michael (Rabbi Jennifer) Hartman, Joey (Stefanie Schostak) Hartman, Rachel (Michael) Bey and Shira (Lee) Atakpu; great-grandchildren, Lilah Atakpu, Theo Atakpu, Sasha Hartman, Emmy Hartman, Fred Hartman, Jonah Hartman, sisters-in-law Ethel Mayeron and Nancy Skadron, and many beloved nieces, nephews and friends. Thanks to the attentive staff at the Roitenberg Residence for their loving attention over many years. Memorials may be made to the Sholom Foundation, Samuel Hartman Fund https://giving.sholom.com/sslpage.aspx?pid=388 , the MacPhail School of Music https://www.macphail.org/individual-giving/ , Big Brothers-Big Sisters of the Twin Cities https://www.bigstwincities.org/donate/ , or donor’s choice. Zoom memorial service 3:00 pm on WEDNESDAY, February 10th. Private burial at cemetery. Zoom SHIVA 7:00 pm on Wednesday. Email zoom3@hodroffepstein.com for link to services.