Billie Hartman

Hartman, Billie Mae MADISON Billie Mae Hartman, age 83, beloved wife, mother and friend left this world on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008. Her family thanks Dr. John Phelan and all the staff at St Marys Hospital for caring for her so lovingly. Billie was born on June 30, 1925 in Bridgeport, Neb., youngest daughter of George F. and Nell Faye (Childs) Randall, Jr. She was a 1944 graduate of Bridgeport High School, and a soul of the prairie landscape all her life. She married her true soul mate, Francis Hartman, 58 years ago in Dalton, Neb. They made Madison their home since 2000. Previously, their homes were in Springfield, Ore., Scottsbluff, Neb., and Colorado Springs, Colo., where Billie developed strong friendships that sustained people of all ages and backgrounds for decades. Despite the death of her mother at age four, Billie was the most devoted wife and mother anyone could wish for. She befriended and nurtured countless friends of her own children, family members, neighbors, and coworkers. When Billie was on your side, you had a fan for life. She was proud of her secretarial work at schools and church offices throughout her life. She brought great warmth and humor to all her encounters, social, professional, and recently, as a medical patient. She was a charmer and people responded to her in kind. Billie was a tremendously gifted seamstress, creating formal wedding dresses for her daughters and granddaughter, beautiful Easter outfits and other garments for her family. She inherited a sense of style and flair; fashion, decorative arts, and popular culture were among her interests. In addition to her extended family, the mainstays of her life were her pets and the beauty of her own backyard. Being married to a man called Francis contributed, naturally, to feeding and sheltering outdoor animals. Billie was also the hippest "not old" lady around; she followed popular music, especially Celtic music and culture. She has left us in love and faith to support each other, as she supported us, sister, Kathryn W. Miller of Dalton, Neb.; her husband, Francis; her children, Cherri Hardt, Don Hartman of Eugene-Springfield, Ore., Francine Hartman (Chris DeMarco)of Madison; grandchildren, Brent Johnson of Eugene, Amy Sullivan of Sun Prairie, Brian Johnson (Michele Poplarchik) of Anchorage, Alaska, and Cecilia and Henry DeMarco of Madison; great-grandchildren, Danielle Woody and Lindsay Sullivan of Sun Prairie and Malea E. Johnson of Anchorage, Alaska. Her devoted family in Nebraska, Louisianna, New Mexico, Nevada and California will miss her always. She was preceded in death by her father and mother; stepmother, Ora L. Randall; and sister, Louise Ingersoll. Interment will be in Broadwater, Neb. at an unspecified future date. We know as our newest angel, she awaits us in heaven, wearing some really cool shoes. A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, Sept. 5, 2008, at 11 a.m., at ST. JAMES CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1128 St. James Court, Madison with Monsignor Thomas Baxter presiding. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the American Heart Association, Best Friends Animal Society (bestfriends.org), or other charities.