Hartman, Paul (1938-1965)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1965 Feb 18 p. 3

Birth date: 1938

text of obituary:

Father of Four Dies At Hands of Gunman

Cullom, ill. — Funeral services for Paul Hartman, 27, who died at the hands of an armed robber in Kankakee, were conducted at a local funeral home on Feb. 9. Rev. Edwin Stalter, pastor of the Science Ridge Mennonite Church, Sterling, officiated.

Mr. Hartman, father of four children, had taken his family to Kankakee to visit his brother, Russell Hartman and family. on Friday evening as he was helping closeup Russell's service station, a masked man came up and ordered them to hand over the money box.

The brothers began throwing objects at the intruder, whose gun failed to work, leading them to believe it was a toy. The man then grabbed the money box and fled, with Paul Hartman pursuing him. At the gas pumps, the gunman whirled and fired point-blank at his pursuer's head. He died almost instantly.

Surviving in addition to his wife, three sons and one daughter are the parents, John and Grace (Cook) Hartman, four brothers and three sisters. The Paul Hartmans formerly resided at Wakarusa, ind.