Grace Leah ( "GL" ) Hartman

Grace Leah (“GL”) Hartman, 101, of Sandwich passed away peacefully in her home Thursday evening, 8/9.

GL was born in Chicago to Dr. Charles Lyle and Grace Fairbank Daniels, and was raised in West Chicago and Aurora, Illinois. She attended West Aurora High School, Rockford College and University of Colorado, Boulder. She married her high school sweetheart, James Tod Ochsenschlager, October 4, 1940. Tod was killed by a sniper in WWII in January 1945. Following Tod’s death, she lived and worked in Boulder, CO and San Francisco, CA. She had previously worked at All-Steel in Aurora, where she met and later married Joseph Henry Hartman of Sandwich on October 22, 1948.  GL was preceded in death by her parents, her three siblings (Janice, Charles and Charlot), her husband Joe (1983), her son John (1981) and two nephews and one niece. She is survived by her daughter, Nancy Hartman (Denis Harrington) of Chicago, a nephew Bob (Deb) Banker of St. Charles, IL, a nephew Clif (Sue) Miller of Ann Arbor, MI, a niece Judith Daniels (Frederica Leser) of Shelter Island, NY, and five great-nephews.

GL volunteered as an Area Representative for the American Field Service (“AFS”) and worked with foreign exchange students and their host families in nine communities. The Hartman family also hosted AFS students from Malaysia and Sweden. Since 1950, GL was a member of Chapter FO of PEO, a philanthropic organization that promotes the education and advancement of women. She was active in the Federated Church of Sandwich, having served two terms on the Session as well as volunteered with the Stephens Ministry in 1998. She volunteered with the Sandwich Hospital Auxiliary Board, the Art Rental and Sales Gallery of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Terra Museum of American Art. When her son John became ill due to HIV/AIDS, she volunteered time at the AIDS Pastoral Care Network in Chicago and AIDS Walk for Life. Following John’s death, she channeled her grief by starting an AIDS Support Group for anyone affected by the disease. She formed many meaningful and lasting relationships as a consequence of this group.

GL loved music and for many years had tickets to Chicago Symphony Friday afternoon concerts. She also loved travel and visited South Africa, Kenya, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Russia, among other European countries.

GL was probably best characterized by her loyal friendship to many, transporting friends and neighbors to doctor appointments and visiting friends in hospitals and nursing homes.

A celebration of life will be held at the Federated Church of Sandwich on Saturday, August 18 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Dan DeWitt and Reverend Lora Zink officiating. A visitation will be held Friday, August 17, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Beverage Family Funeral Home in Sandwich. In lieu of flowers, memorials and donations may be made to the Federated Church of Sandwich, (http://fedconnection.net), Open Door Rehabilitation Center (http://odrc.org), KishHealth Foundation (memo line: “Palliative Care Program”) or the charity of the donor’s choice.