Rita Mae Hartman

Rita Mae Hartman Rita Mae Hartman, age 80, of Austin and formerly of Richardson, passed away on August 12, 2005. Rita was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Martha and Millard Downey, on November 6, 1924. She was the last surviving member of a family which included nine other brothers and sisters. After graduating from Austin High School (Chicago), Rita worked for Western Electric in wartime production. She was selected to write a letter from home, picture included, to the boys overseas. The response from our soldiers, sailors, and marines was overwhelming. Rita wrote back to as many servicemen as she could. Her mother graciously supplemented their postman’s salary during the ongoing correspondence. When the boys came back from overseas many stopped in Chicago to visit and were warmly welcomed into the Downey household. Rita became a stewardess for Pan American Airways after the Second World War. She traveled to Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. In Tenerife, Canary Islands, she met Robert Hartman. Rita and Robert were married and moved to Lima, Peru, to work for Braniff Airways. There they raised two loving sons, Robert, Jr. and Ronald. The Hartman family made many lifelong friends during the fourteen years they lived in Peru. In addition to her family members, her dear friends the Berkhimers, the Bells, the Lummises and the Maxwells were always in Rita’s thoughts and memories. Rita and Robert were deeply committed to each other and were together until Robert’s death in 1992. Always smiling and hopeful, and despite struggles with her health, Rita lived her life completely, with deep love and affection for her family and friends. Rita is survived by her son Ronald and daughter-in-law Pauline VanMeurs, her granddaughters Erin and Robin, her son Robert, Jr. and family friend Vicki Bartlett, her many devoted nieces and nephews, and her canine companion “Gabby.” A mass in Rita’s honor will be held at Saint Austin’s Catholic Church, 2010 Guadalupe Street, Austin, Texas, on Thursday, August 18, 2005, at 5:30 pm. The family hopes that Rita’s friends and relatives honor her by visiting with their own families and friends as often as possible Obituary and guestbook available online at wcfish.com