Jennifer Hartman honored, laid to rest

Hundreds of people turned out Saturday morning to pay their respects to U.S. Army Sgt. Jennifer M. Hartman, a New Ringgold woman who was killed Sept. 14 in Iraq. Those who attended the funeral services at the Hartman Funeral Home, 1791 West Penn Pike (Route 309), West Penn Township, remembered the 21-year-old as a woman who had a zest for life and was always eager to lend a helping hand to those in need.

Hartman, a 2003 graduate of Tamaqua Area High School, was one of three American soldiers killed when a suicide car bomber rammed into an Army barracks at a West Baghdad electrical substation her unit was guarding. Thirty additional American soldiers were injured.

“Jennifer Marie was a loving and caring daughter, sister and friend who was the spirit and lifeblood of our family,” the Hartman family said in a statement, which was read by Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver, public affairs officer for the Pennsylvania National Guard. “She lived for her family and friends, the outdoors, and for driving her four-wheeler on Pennsylvania’s rolling hills. We miss her so much and we will always long for her, but we believe that she died trying to help others gain their freedom. She was a true patriot.” The Hartmans also offered their condolences to the families of Sgt. Aaron Smith of Killen, Texas, and Cpl. Marcus Cain, Crowly, La., who were also killed in the attack.

Hartman was a cook assigned to the 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Hartman’s parents, David and Bernice Hartman, had said they wished many from the community and beyond would attend the services for their daughter.

So many turned out that shuttle buses had to be used to transport attendees from a parking area at nearby Zion Stone Church to the funeral home.

A number of students from Hartman’s high school class attended the services. Among them were Agustin Gomez and Mary Lichtenberger.

Gomez remembered Hartman as an intelligent girl who helped him with his math and language courses. “She helped me pass,” he said. The two also ate lunch together while in high school, but lost touch for a time after graduation.

Hartman, who had a MySpace profile on the Internet, later located Gomez, and the two rekindled their friendship through e-mails. “I always tried to make her laugh,” said Gomez, who recalled Hartman’s sense of humor. Gomez last spoke to Hartman about a month ago, and said he told her to “be careful” because his cousin was killed in Iraq.

“She was a good friend to all of us, and she will be greatly missed,” Lichtenberger said.

Another of Hartman’s classmates, Ian McGregor, lived just six houses away. McGregor said he moved to his house on Tower Road as a sixth-grade student.

“She was the first person I talked to,” McGregor said, recalling his days as the “new kid.” “She accepted me right away and we were cool.” The two quickly struck up a friendship and would frequently ride their four-wheel all-terrain vehicles on the hills near their homes. McGregor recalled a time when his brother was hurt while riding his ATV with Hartman and a group of friends.

“Jennifer took care of him right away,” he said.

When the Hartman family received news of their daughter’s death, McGregor said that her father promptly wheeled her cherished ATV to the front yard. Atop of the ATV, he placed his daughter’s picture.

“We just started crying,” McGregor said.

Read the rest at the Standard Speaker

Related Link:
Soldier dies the death she said she feared (Jennifer Hartman)