Barbara Ann Hartman

Barbara began her earthly journey on August 27, 1940 to her parents Carl and Ines (Ronning) Brodston and was born in Miles City, Montana.

For the first three years of Barbara’s life she lived in Miles City, near her paternal grandparents. Her mother’s parents were ranchers and lived out in the country, which was a good hours drive. She went back and forth between grandparents and was the first grandchild in her mother's family.

Barbara’s father worked in one of the many government created jobs of the 1940’s since he was not eligible to be drafted into the service during World War II. It took Carl, Ines and Barbara up through Canada and up to Alaska. Carl was one of many that worked on the Alcan Highway.

They returned back to Montana when she was 4 years old and her parents purchased the Rock Springs store and post office. Her mother soon ran the store by herself as Carl was called back into Government service on another project. But the separation put a strain on the marriage and her parents were divorced in 1946, at which times her mother moved to California to live with her sister in Culver City, and shortly thereafter remarried Earl Smith.

She attended Farragut grammar school and went on to graduate from Culver City High in 1958. Upon graduation her parents moved to Orange County. It was there she met and married Ralph Donald Knoles, the father of her two oldest boys David and Michael. In 1965 she was divorced and married again producing Carrie Oakly and Terrance Robinson.

In 1978 she met Arnold Kieth Finch, better known as Buz. They met in Laughlin, Nevada where they were both working for the Nevada Club, a casino located on the Colorado River joining Bullhead City with Laughlin, Nevada. They were married and eventually moved to California, as Buz got a better position as Country Club manager. Buz was also a pro golfer and taught golf on the side.

In 1987 Buz was offered a job to manage a resort in the Fiji Islands. They moved there and spent the next 4 years at the Kon Tiki Resort. During this time they were privileged to travel to many other countries, mainly on business, including Australia, where Barbara spent four months as a guest of Edrie Hinton the mother of their dive instructor. Part of the reason was for medical reasons and Edrie and her friend June took turns nursing Barbara back to health after she went through majoy surgery at a hospital in Coffs Harbor.

After returning to the states, Barbara went back to college and received her degree in Communications from California State University in Fullerton, California. She graduated with honors and was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society as well as the Public Relations Society.. and did internships with the Red Cross and the American Lung Association.. where she wrote articles for the Better Breathers Magazine… and she also took her own photos which were submitted along with the articles.

She also earned a certificate of accounting from College of the Desert and took tax accounting from H&R Block. She did taxes for many years while she was working for an accountant, Barbara Wollan. In 1998 they moved to San Diego where Barbara went to work for FedEx Kinkos which she eventually retired from in 2007.

Arnold died in 2001 and Barbara remarried Edward Hartman and moved to Hemet, California.

She was also very active in several other organizations, the Genealogical Society and Sons of Norway, where she held several offices that include Treasurer and Financial Secretary. She also had a career in dancing which included back up modern dance with a troup of performers in 1958 and then took up Belly Dance in 2009. She loved classical music. She was a Disney enthusiast and collector, enjoyed pro basketball and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband Edward Hartman; her children David, Mike, Carrie and Terrance; as well as 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.