Brian Christopher Hartman

Brian Christopher Hartman “pulled off the impossible.” Growing up in Louisiana as the son of Steve and Sherri Hartman with siblings Mary, Matt and Stevie--he faced some pretty tough obstacles—more than most. His main goal as a youth was to care for his younger brother Matt. It was pretty much the two of them against the world for a while. The severity of the challenges before him as a young man is important to his story. But Brian did not let his unfortunate circumstances be the end of his story.

He got his GED and moved to the town he loved, Austin, Texas and was able to enroll in the University of Texas where he was a member of the ROTC program. At that time, he wanted to be a medic pilot. But an eye accident that resulted in a plate behind his right eye and a car accident that meant six months of rehabilitation denied him that opportunity. Instead, he transferred to Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas where he studied computer science. He won a number of awards in computer science contests, including First Place-Novice Division for programming. Brian was selected by Dr. Donald Pratt to be his Supplemental Instruction (SI) leader for his Botany course, a position Brian held for several years. He also tutored mathematics for the SFA Athletic Academic Services Center. Brian achieved Level 3, Master Tutor certification with the International Tutor Training Certification Program. Brian made the Dean’s List for successive semesters, maintaining a 4.0 for most of his college career.

Brian met Anna Rosa Fizouaty, the daughter of Ilan Fizouaty of Israel and Mary Elizabeth (M.E.) Pierce McWilliams of Nacogdoches, Texas. He won her over texting “I love you and I like you.” They were married at the Old University Building in downtown Nacogdoches on December 20, 2014. Everyone had called Brian “B” for a long time and so now friends called Anna “A.” Together they were A and B. As a close friend said, “They were A and B—the perfect team.” One hardly thought of “B,” without thinking of “A.”

Brian completed his BA and immediately moved back to Austin with Anna where he was employed by Frontline Education as a Data Engineer. His immediate supervisor said that as an employee, Brian was a great person and a warm, kind presence in their lives. He and Anna had to work hard to move from a one-bedroom apartment to a two-bedroom apartment. They had to work hard to replace their old car “Sylvia” and get a new car. At the time of Brian’s passing, they had just been approved for a home loan. Inch by inch they were finding great success in Austin.

When Brian passed on the morning of December 4, he simply slipped away in his sleep. He drifted into peace, but he has left family, friends, and co-workers devastated in utter disbelief. They are sad to see his end when he was just beginning to see the fruits of years of hard work. Everyone began to text each other about his good-hearted, gentle nature—his open and generous spirit. One friend said that Brian never met a stranger: “He had a light in him that no one could vanish and a million-dollar smile. There was no one that could beat that smile!” Multiple people remarked that he was just “so sweet.” He used to walk to downtown Austin, under the bridges, to give out money to the homeless. He never forgot that he was once homeless too.

Many of his friends called him family or “a brother from another mother.” They had such respect for his ability to overcome his challenges. It seems that everyone thought the world of Brian, and they celebrate the love and happiness that he found.

Friends and family are invited to gather Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at Macklemore’s Ale House in Nacogdoches, Texas to celebrate Brian.

Funeral arrangements under the direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.