In Memory

Paul Hartman

Paul Hartman



 
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09/19/13 10:36 PM #1    

Susan Spiegel (Pastin)

Paul Hartman died over the 2013 Memorial Day weekend in his Pembroke Pines FL (Fort Lauderdale area) condo.  He was deeply mourned by many, especially the members of the Facebook website he created for sufferers of chronic illnesses and pain.   He retired from his last job at the Social Security Administration several years ago but, despite health problems, volunteered for severa,l groups.  Plus he performed Broadway and classic pop standards for seniors and other groups.


10/13/13 07:00 AM #2    

Carol Simon (Kohn)

Paul and I had kept in contact in several ways over the many years since our shared graduation in June of 1964 from ETHS. We also had been enrolled in the same math class at what was then known as Skiles Junior High (now the Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Lab Schoo in Evanston) which began my own intestrest of  a salesperson's job working in retail sales which I'd done most of myown years since our graduation until my full retirement from this field of an occupation in July of 2009 due to personal health issues of my own which I don't wish to explain about right now.

Paul also was my Masonic "Brother"  since I am still a very active member of the Order of the Eastern Sta here in Illinois having been a local presiding officer known as a Worthy Matron for 9 times as of the writting of this sharing about Paul; many of his own family members also had been active in the Masons (which is like my husband Chuck too) as well as Eastern Star so we'd be often conversing about this topic each time we contacted each other. In fact, our 8th grade teacher((the late)Hazel Grant(since she was also the school sponsor for a student supply store that was next to the Skiles cafeteria as Paul and I had worked there over our own lunch breaks over the school year)as I'd arranged for Paul to attend one of my first times as an elected officer (Associate Matron in1986-without telling each of these specially invited guests to the open Installation that the other one would be there!) to attend the installation without telling him that "Sister" Hazel would be there too as she was a member of my first chapter which went by the name of Pentalpha #534 which met in Evanston; I'm now a member with Skokie Chapter#1015. Paul (as expected) had a great and really surprised reunion with her that December of 1986 night too as he'd not seen her in many years time and I'd kept in touch with her as we'd sometimes get together for lunch over those many years too.

When Paul came back to Chicago for any reason from where he was living in Florida, we'd then be seen getting together at Sue (Speigal) Pastin's or at a restaurant for an informal "Dutch Treat" kind of meal.

Over the last 2 years of Paul's life, we had kept in touch via Skype-which is like the pitcture phone service that had been part of the permanent communications exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry-except that it's done between computers!-and were chatting live with each other at least once a week. Paul had planned to sing "Happy Birthday" to me on my most recent birhday(aka on Saturday, May the 25th) via Skype and never did do so as the date we'd lost him to Heaven was my 68th (yes, this is how old I now am and I don't mind admitting to my classmates from ETHS as to how old I am either!) birthday and I didn't find out about his passing from this lifetime until several days later from Sue (Speigel) Pastin who still keeps in touch with both my sister Jean (ETHS 1965-who now lives in Honolulu, Hawaii working full time for the Hawaii Civil Defense on Oahu) and myself via phone chats(with me) and e-mail with both Jean and myself.

I too had attended the speical memorial service for Paul along with Sue (Spiegal) Pastin that was held in his memory at the Lurie Children's Hospital (formerly Children's Memorial Hospital) in Chicago. Rest in eternal peace, my devoted friend-as I still miss having those weekly Skype chats with you!


11/21/13 12:54 PM #3    

Vernon Neece

If my memory is correct Paul founded a sleep apnea group; a condition my wife has.  Also, I have a vague recollection of Paul telling our junior year health class about surgery he had on a defective heart valve.


11/24/13 09:45 PM #4    

Susan Spiegel (Pastin)

Yes, Vernon!  Paul  was diagnosed with sleep apnea and founded the Sleep Apnea Support Society in the 1980s.  I helped him with the initial public relations,  having worked in journalism and public relations before.  SASS eventually became absorbed by the Chicago Lung Assn., I believe.

What Paul did really raised public awareness of sleep apnea!

 

 


09/18/14 10:43 AM #5    

Sherwin "Jay" Siegall

I kew of Paul but cant say we were friends. IO do think we would say hello in the school halls. I do remember that he was "unique" in as much as he had had open heart surgery, which was pretty rare in those days. We did have phys ed together and I remember the huge scar he had that must have been 10-12 inches long verticly on his chest. We always seemed to treat him as "fragile" as a result of his surgery though I do not know that he was actually fragile!

 What I do remember specificly however is HE ALWAYS HAD A SMILE! Wish I could do that!!

Happy to know that he lived life much longer than I had" perceived" he would due to his heart issue which I likely did not fully understand! You were a good kid Paul! I hope more people are aware of your passing. Your successfull surgery may well have been a stepping stone to the successful surgery and survival of countless others after you!


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