Edwin Hartman

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Obituary

Edwin Hartman, 93, of Webster, SD, formerly of White Lake, SD, passed away Monday, April 8, 2024, at Marshall County Healthcare Center in Britton, SD. Funeral services will be at 1:00 PM on Monday, April 15, at Trinity Lutheran Church in White Lake, with visitation one hour prior to the funeral service. Burial will be at White Lake Cemetery.

Edwin Hartman was born November 9, 1930, on the family farm near Selfridge, ND to John and Emma (Bachmeier) Hartman. He attended the Goose Camp Country School until the 8th grade. When reviewing some records, it was found that he flunked the 1st grade because he spoke German instead of English. He worked on the family farm until 1956 when he started driving a straight truck, and then a semi, hauling grain and cattle for Melvin Schanzenbach. In 1960, he began delivering machinery for John Deere during the summers. Ed married Delaine Hertel September 4, 1960.

Ed and Delaine moved to the Zimmerman Ranch north of Pierre, SD in 1963, where Ed was a hired man making hay and taking part in round ups for 1700 head of steers. An opportunity to buy a trucking company in White Lake, SD came up in 1973. The business came with a 1965 Freightliner and two trailers, grain and bull rack. In the world before cell phones, he was his own dispatcher handling mostly local hauls having to return calls when he was home or stopped at a payphone. A couple years later, he purchased a 1973 GMC and ran that for about fourteen years when he bought a 1971 cabover Freightliner. Local loads were dwindling so Ed began hauling for Gus Heath pulling flatbeds of lumber to Wisconsin and some grain and cattle on the side. His little trucking buddy, John, was born in 1974.

In 1990, Ed made a big change and started running loads under East River Lumber & Grain out of Mobridge, SD until 2014. He drove a 1986 International Eagle, a 1990 Model Peterbilt, a 1994 Western Star, and a 2000 Western Star. Ed moved to Webster in 2002 when his wife died. Ed married Peggy Peters on April 21, 2006, and moved to Pierre around 2012. After East River Trucking closed, Ed made one final move to drive for CMT Transportation, Mapleton, ND from 2014 to 2015. His trucking career came to an end at the age of 85 when he had a heart attack on the road in Montana. Ed and Peggy moved back to Webster, SD where she passed away in 2017. 

In 2003, a celebration was held in honor of Ed’s achievement for his 30 years of trucking and 1.2 million miles of driving at East River. It is estimated he drove approximately four million miles in his trucking career. He also claimed the Western Star as his favorite model of truck to drive. His friends gave him the CB handle, Slow Turtle, even though he always seemed to reach the stops before they did. He’d run slow and steady, and they would drive fast and stop all day long. When his eyesight failed and he could no longer drive, he would walk to the restaurant where he couldn’t resist the strawberry pie. 

Ed claimed to not want to cross the street to avoid anyone, except maybe insurance salesmen. He didn’t get excited and had a quick laugh when being teased. When thinking about his past times, the only thing that came to mind was sleep. He was known for his piggy back rides and always having quarters to hand out to his nieces and nephews. 

Ed is survived by his son, John Hartman of Webster, SD. He is also survived by sisters, Eugenia Kahl of Canon City, CO and Ann Schmeichel of McLaughlin, SD; sisters-in-law, Deanne Hertel of Pierre, SD and Delia Hertel of Shields, ND; brother-in-law, George (Betty) Hertel of Bismark, ND; and many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his wives, Delaine Hartman and Peggy Hartman; brothers, Joe Hartman and John Hartman Jr.; and an infant daughter in 1976, Jennifer Jane.

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