Obituary of Harold William Gartner

Harold "Hal" Gartner, age 88 passed away June 20, 2013 at the Licking Residential Care in Licking, Missouri. Preceding him in death was his wife, Martha Gartner, and two sons, Neil and Robert. He is survived by his son, William Gartner and his wife Kathy of Newtown, Pennsylvania; two daughters, Joanne Gartner of Nutley, New Jersey, and Diane Urton, along with her husband, David, of Licking, Missouri; three grandchildren, David, Jonathan and Joanna Urton, all of Licking, MO; and one sister, Louise Rogers of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Harold William Gartner was born April 25, 1925 in Maspeth Queens New York. His family moved to Brooklyn during his childhood years. In high school Hal learned the skills of a machinist. He was drafted in 1943 until 1946 he served in the Navy. His high school training in being a machinist helped with duties aboard the John M. Bermingham D.E. 530 ship. Aboard the ship he had an injury in the machine shop, resulting in the loss of the tip of his ring finger. This incident disqualified him for the much wanted job of a New York City Fireman after his service in the Navy ended. During this time he met Martha Bachman at a Catholic Church dance. They married in 1951. In 1952 Hal became a Police Officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In the same year Harold and Martha moved out to the suburbs of New Jersey and raised a family of five children. Hal retired in 1973 and opened an Archery Pro Shop with shooting lanes. In 1980 he quit the archery shop and became a security guard at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Then in 1990 Hal retired again at the age of 65 and moved to New Albany, Pennsylvania. During this time period he began writing poetry whenever he had a chance. In 1993 he moved to Gillett, Pennsylvania and was active in the Coreyland Church. Pastor .Myra Goss and friends all enjoyed Hal's singing, poetry, and sense of humor. In 2007, while under treatment for a curable cancer, an artery broke loose inside, it took fifteen units of blood to revive him. On February 2, 2008, Hal journeyed to Missouri after being in and out of hospitals and rest homes. He moved to be closer to his grandchildren and to enjoy the beauty of Ozarks. While living at Licking Residential Care, he wrote two poetry books and a personal memoir. During warm weather many observed him walking to the bird feeder almost daily. No one will forget the many trips to "take shelter" in the residential care's shower during tornado season. During this time Mr. Gartner serenaded the residents with songs from the 1940s to calm unsettled nerves. He enjoyed photography and captured special occasions and gave the photos to others who would enjoy them for years to come.