Roberta E. Hartmann

age 39, of Kettering, passed away Friday, January 2, 2004, in her home. She was a graduate of Cattaragus High School in New York ’83, Capital University ’87 and received her MA degree from the University of Dayton ’96. She has been a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church since 1987. She was currently employed by Sinclair College and worked for Capital University in the adult degree program, Dayton, for 11 years. She also volunteered for various Lutheran organizations and Miami Valley organizations. She was a member of the Adult Higher Education Alliance. Survived by her husband of 16 years, Roger A. and three children, Amy 11, Scott 9 and Kelly 6. Her mother and father, Ferne and Bob Neeb of Kettering; brother, Daniel Neeb of Indianapolis, IN and her father-in-law, Richard P. Hartmann of Kettering. Family will greet friends from 4:00 to 8:00 PM on Monday at Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 E. Stroop Rd., Kettering. Memorial services will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 901 E. Stroop Rd., Kettering. Entombment in David’s Cemetery. If lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church or Capital University, 2199 E. Main St., Columbus, OH 43209. ON BEHALF OF ROGER, AMY, SCOTT AND KELLY; BOB AND FERNE, DAN AND SALLY; MY DAD, MY BROTHER JEFF AND HIS FAMILY, AND MY FAMILY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING WITH US AT THIS TIME. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MUSICIANS WHO HAVE ACCOMPANIED US TODAY, AS ALL OF THEIR NAMES WERE NOT MENTIONED IN THE BULLETIN, WE THANK YOU. NONE OF US COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT RIGHT AFTER A CHRISTMAS WE ALL SPENT TOGETHER THAT WE WOULD BE GATHERING TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO SUCH A BELOVED MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY. THOUGH ROBERTA WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE HARTMANN FAMILY BY BIRTH, WE LOVED AND CHERISHED HER PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES. WE WILL NOT EVER UNDERSTAND HER LIFE ENDING AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE, AT SUCH A TIME AS THIS. BUT WE REMEMBER HER WITH MUCH FONDNESS. WE WILL REMEMBER HER MUSIC…WHAT A GREAT VOICE, WHAT A GREAT SENSE OF PEACE SHE BROUGHT US WHEN SHE SANG AT FUNERALS; WHAT A GREAT SENSE OF ENTHUSIASM SHE BROUGHT TO OUR CHURCH WORSHIP; WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD WHEN WE WOULD SING 'PRIDE OF THE PURPLE', CAPITAL'S FIGHT SONG, ON OCCASIONS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION. WE WILL REMEMBER HER QUICK MIND…SHE WAS SO BRIGHT, SHE COULD DO ANYTHING, BE PART OF ANY CONVERSATION, KNOW AND WANT TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON…SHE EVEN KNEW HOW TO HANDLE MY DAD'S TEASING AND THE OTHER CRAZY THINGS THAT WERE SAID TO HER BY THE HARTMANN MEN IN HER LIFE…AND SHE WAS SMART ENOUGH TO MARRY MY LITTLE BROTHER, AND I AM GLAD FOR THAT! WE WILL REMEMBER HER PATIENCE…SHE WAS A GREAT MOTHER TO THE KIDS…LISTEN TO THESE WORDS FROM ROBERTA'S FRIEND, KARI KIRCHER: 'YOU WERE SUCH A WONDERFUL MOTHER! I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS SO NEAT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SLUMBER PARTIES WITH AMY, GO ON DATES WITH SCOTT AND TAKE KELLY TO MOM AND ME FOR TEA. YOU DID SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH YOU KIDS'…AMY, SCOTT, KELLY, SHE LOVED YOU 3 VERY MUCH…SHE TOOK YOU EVERYWHERE, WAS THERE FOR YOUR SCHOOL EVENTS, GOT YOU INVOLVED IN SO MANY ACTIVITIES…KELLY SAID, AND I KNOW SCOTT AND AMY AGREE, 'I'LL MISS HER'…ROG, WHAT A WONDERFUL WIFE SHE WAS TO YOU, SUPPORTING EVERYTHING YOU DID, HELPING YOU GET THROUGH EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO DO. ROBERTA WAS PATIENT, NEVER TOO QUICK TO GET ANGRY, IF SHE EVER DID, BUT ALWAYS TRIED TO UNDERSTAND. ROBERTA WAS ONE OF THE MOST NON-JUDGMENTAL PEOPLE I KNOW. SHE ALLOWED PEOPLE TO BE WHO THEY WERE, AND HAD A GREAT ZEST FOR LIFE WHEN SHE WAS WITH THEM. WE WILL REMEMBER HER GRACE…SHE WAS A CHILD OF GOD, BAPTIZED, CONFIRMED, MARRIED AND NOW BURIED THROUGH THE CHURCH…SHE WAS A CHILD OF GRACE IN THAT SHE KNEW IT WAS JESUS CHRIST THAT WOULD SAVE HER LIFE, NOT HER OWN REASON OR STRENGTH OR MERIT. SHE NEEDED A SAVIOR AND HAD HIM BY GRACE, TAUGHT ABOUT HIM TO HER CHILDREN, GAVE THANKS FOR THAT GRACE AT EVERY TURN. WE WILL REMEMBER HER FAITH…'LORD IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE, MY BROTHER WOULD NOT HAVE DIED'. MARTHA SAID THAT TO JESUS, AND THOSE WORDS CAN HAUNT US, FOR WE MIGHT FEEL THAT IF THERE HAD BEEN SOMETHING WE COULD HAVE DONE, ROBERTA MAY NOT HAVE DIED. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL IS THIS: THAT, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER HAPPENS TO US IN THIS LIFE, JESUS IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE…THAT HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS-AND HIS VICTORY OVER DEATH HAS PROMISED US ETERNAL LIFE, AND IN THAT WE HAVE HOPE. IT IS IN THAT TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL, THAT FAITH, THAT ROBERTA LIVED--A STRONG FAITH AND A GOOD EXAMPLE. AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL, THAT IN THE LAST YEAR, AND IN OTHER TIMES OF LOSS OVER THE YEARS, WHEN OUR FAMILY FAITH HAS BEEN TESTED, THAT CHRIST HAS BEEN THERE FOR US THROUGH ROBERTA, AS WELL AS ALL OF YOU. BUT TODAY WE HONOR GOD FOR ROBERTA'S PRESENCE AND FAITH, A FAITH GIFTED TO HER BY THE SPIRIT, A FAITH SHOWN TO US IN THE WAY SHE LIVED. AND WE KNOW SHE LIVED WELL, AS ATTESTED TO BY THE PRESENCE OF SO MANY LAST NIGHT AND TODAY. WE ARE GRATEFUL. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENCE, YOUR LOVE, YOUR CONSOLING WORDS. WE THANK GOD FOR ROBERTA BEING WITH US, THOUGH IT WAS TOO SHORT. WE COMMEND HER TO THE LORD, WITH FAITH AND HOPE AND LOVE…REMEMBERING THAT THE GREATEST OF THESE, IS LOVE…

Funeral Home:
Kettering Routsong Funeral Home
2100 E. Stroop Rd.
Kettering, OH
US 45429