Vernette I. Hartman, age 77, of Savanna, Illinois, died Sunday, June 15, 2008, at Good Samaritan Nursing Facility in Mount Carroll, Illinois. Funeral Services will be held 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 19, 2008 at the First United Methodist Church, Savanna with Reverend Larry Thomson officiating. Interment will be in Lower York Cemetery, Thomson, Illinois. A visitation will be held from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at the Law-Jones Funeral Home, Savanna. A memorial fund has been established in Vernette’s memory.
Vernette was born on August 21, 1930, the daughter of George C. and Lulu B. (Williams) Beck in Savanna. She graduated from Savanna Township High School on May 27, 1948. Vernette married Ivan C. Hartman on August 27, 1948 in the St. Peter Lutheran Church Parsonage, Savanna. Ivan died on March 17, 1979 in Iowa City, Iowa.
Most recently, Vernette enjoyed working at the Savanna Train Car and Museum, Savanna. She also worked for other local businesses; she was employed at Eaton Corporation, Savanna and as a sales associate at Duncan’s Department Store, Savanna. She also worked for The Swiss Colony, Savanna for seventeen years. Vernette cherished spending time with her family. She loved traveling and having mother and daughter days out, going to lunch and shopping. Vernette also enjoyed collecting antiques, playing Scrabble, and watching “Wheel of Fortune”. Vernette was a twenty five year survivor of cancer; her motto was to always “Think Positive”. She will be greatly missed by many family and friends.
Vernette is survived by one son, Eric C. (Lisa) Hartman of Sabula, Iowa; four daughters, Mollie (William) Lego of Rockford, Illinois, Marlene (Dennis) Kessler of Mount Carroll, LuAnne (Daniel) Heim of Galena, Illinois, and Kathy Hartman of Aurora, Colorado; nine grandchildren, Sarah (Brian) Rekenthaler, Ryan (Korey) Kessler, Nathan (Adrien) Kessler, John (Keri) Gillen Jr., Jessie Gillen, Brian Heim, Bryn, Aivan, and Deryn Hartman; and three great grandchildren, Ethan and Allison Kessler, and Kadence Gillen.
Vernette was preceded in death by her husband, Ivan; three brothers, Lawrence, Charles, and Paul; and one sister, Eloise Reynolds.