Ervin George Hartmann Fcpa, Fcma

With deep sadness, in stiller Trauer, we say goodbye to our beloved and respected husband, Dad, Opa, Onkel George, friend, and colleague. He left us peacefully after a brief illness in Victoria, BC, where he had recently moved to be closer to family with Irmgard, his wife of 67 years. We honour him for an exemplary life of service to family, community, church and society.

Early childhood experiences of his mother dying, taking care of younger siblings, and being a medic on the Russian Front at end of war, aged 15, molded his life-long service ethic. He believed he was zum Dienen geboren (born to serve).

Irmgard followed him from Germany in 1954 to marry and raise a family along with their Canadian clan in the Yukon. Playing soccer, road trips, and photography were favourite pastimes. In his varied career paths of agriculture in Germany, business and retail in Whitehorse and Carmacks (single-handedly running the Hudson’s Bay store 1954-1955), accounting and finance in Vancouver, he climbed the immigrant ladder from the bottom (dishwashing) to the top (CFO), making friends, winning accolades, and gaining respect along the way. George and Irmgard proudly became Canadian citizens in 1958. Daughter Kim was born in 1961.

After moving the family to Vancouver in 1965 and starting a career as a clerk with White Pass & Yukon Route, he began his part-time accounting management studies toward RIA through UBC. George was thoughtful and quiet, fair and logical, dedicated, reliable, honest, a brilliant negotiator and had an incredible memory for dates and numbers. His team at the office could count on him being first-in and last-out every day, with a kind word, a joke, or a big hug along the way. A life-long learner and natural teacher, he took the time to mentor and assist others. A confident speaker, he was asked many times to be MC or make a toast. He retired from a successful career as CFO with Loomis Canada/Mayne Nickless in 1994.

Volunteering was George’s 2nd career. Posts included president of the accounting association, adjudicating for the BC Veterinarians Association, 30+ years as Regency Place strata president, Lutheran Manor Subsidized Housing board member and general all-round helper to the residents, several Lutheran churches in many roles, executor for numerous estates, and many more.

George loved music, especially attending the symphony and opera and joyfully singing hymns in church. He and Mum waltzed expertly together on the dance floor. For holidays the family spent many hours camping and hiking in BC parks, going to Mexico and Hawaii, and visiting family and friends in the Yukon and Germany.

Predeceased by son-in-law Steven Feltham, he leaves to miss him terribly, loving wife Irmgard, daughter Kim Feltham (Julian Young and son Theo), and beloved grandsons Graham Feltham (Carla) and Forrest / aka Ryan Feltham (Megan), family in Germany and Canada, and all those who called him ‘Onkel George’.

Graham fondly remembers Opa had a kind heart, open mind, unmatched will, strength of character, and openly gave trust, support, and love.

Forrest fondly remembers Opa always kept his word, had a joke for every moment, a sharp mind and memory, and loved to help unconditionally.

Since he was a hero blood-donator, in lieu of flowers please make a donation in honour of George to Red Cross.

An in-person-and-online memorial to honour George will be held April 2, 2022, 10 am PST at Spirit of Life Lutheran Church in Vancouver. To register for the online service, please contact [email protected] or 604-874-2212. A copy of the service bulletin and the link to ZOOM will be sent a couple of days before the memorial. The chapel and facility space is small, therefore the family respectfully requests that masks be worn inside for the entire in-person event, except when eating during the reception, and COVID vaccine passports will be required. We are so grateful that we are able to meet in Dad’s beloved church, and also wish for everyone to be as safe as possible.

The church is located at 325 West 10th Ave. Please note that parking close to the church is extremely limited. 2 Parkades are located at Cambie and 12th Ave. Taxi or transit might be the easiest option.