Hartman, Wilbur

and Esther Hartman celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary Jul 13, 1999. Cake and punch was served to staff and residents. Entertainment was provided by Freedom Ministries. Miami Nursing Center presented them with a bouquet of spring flowers. Wilbur and Esther grew up as neighbors and married when Esther was 17 years old and Wilbur was 18. They resided in Picher Oklahoma briefly and then moved to Kansas. Their love for Oklahoma brought them back in 1947, when they purchased their farm outside Commerce Oklahoma. There they resided together until Esther became a resident at the nursing center. For the most part Esther was a homemaker with the exception of working as a cook at Fairview School. Wilbur worked in the mines, farmed, taught Sunday School and was a active member of the school board. The Hartmans have six children, two of whom are deceased. Other children are Don Hartman, Rosalee Peterson, and Sharon Olds of Commerce, and Linda Herrell of Oklahoma City. They have eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. When asked how they made it together for so many years they both replied, "Love, patience and hard work." An anniversary photo is with the article.

Wilbur Hartman - age 87, died at his rural Miami home. Born Jun 23, 1913, at Flat River Missouri. He lived in Ottawa county Oklahoma most of his life. He worked as a truck driver for Eagle-Picher Mining Company, retiring in 1975. He was a member, deacon and Sunday School teacher at First Christian church, Commerce. He was also a member of Ottawa Lodge No. 492 A.F. & A.M. Quapaw Oklahoma. Married Esther Faye Pierce on Jul 13, 1931, at Picher Oklahoma. She survives. Additional survivors include a son and his wife, Donald Hartman and Leann Hartman, Commerce; three daughters and their husbands, Rosaile Peterson and Wesley Peterson, Commerce, Sharon Olds and Benny Olds, rural Miami, and Linda Minco and Joel Herrel, Minco; eight grandchildren, Donna Couch, Nancy Mapes, Steve Hartman, Rena Stokes, Cathy Brumley, Dustin Olds, and Mike Herrell; and eight great- grandchildren. The service is 10 am Tuesday, at the Paul Thomas funeral home, Miami, with Bill Richey officiating.. Burial in G.A.R. cemetery, Miami.