Eleanor Lee (McNaul) Hartman

Eleanor Lee (McNaul) Hartman

Eleanor Lee (McNaul) Hartman passed away on August 31, 2016 surrounded by her family.  Our Mother was 76 years young.

Eleanor was born on August 28, 1940 in the Altoona hospital to her late parents, William and Cleo (Milligan) McNaul.  She graduated from Tyrone Area High School in 1958.  Following in her Mother’s footsteps, she too became a Nurse having graduated from The Harrisburg Polyclinic Hospital in September of 1961.

She met the love of her life, Kenneth E. Hartman, of Mechanicsburg, at a dance on St. Patrick’s Day.   After a very short courtship, they eloped on August 25, 1961 in Dillon, South Carolina.  Their adventure together began with an assignment with the Air Force to sunny Florida.  Then it was off to Germany where they had their first born, William Hollinger.  Returning to the states in January of 1965, she started her nursing career at Hanover General Hospital and Southern York County Schools where she was the school nurse while our father was a teacher there as well.  It was in Glen Rock, PA their family grew with the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Anne.  They soon moved back to Mechanicsburg and finally Boiling Springs where her career working with the elderly progressed.  She worked in all capacities in many area nursing facilities in Cumberland County to include Camp Hill Nursing Home, Cumberland County Home, Messiah Village, Church of God Home, and Cumberland Crossings.  She served as Director of Nursing and Nursing Home Administrator for the last half of her 43 years in nursing and retired in 2003.  She exemplified compassion and grace while caring for our community’s elder population.  She was a trailblazer in the field of geriatric care with a strong work ethic and ability to motivate and encourage many staff to complete their certifications and nursing degrees.

In 1986, she lost her soul-mate, our father, suddenly to a heart attack and became widowed at age 45.  Her incredible strength in the face of this tragedy set the tone for the remainder of her life.  Her tenacity and resilience led her to community service projects to include the lighting of the football field at Ecker Stadium and the expansion of the high school.  She was a long-time member of the South Middleton School District Board of Directors.  She spearheaded the building of the Yellow Breeches Middle School and several well negotiated teacher contracts.  Her no-nonsense, straight forward character allowed for some lively discussions around the boardroom table.

A woman of many accomplishments, her greatest pride and joys have come from her five grandchildren, William Knouse, Annette Hartman, Abigail Knouse, Joseph Knouse, Jr., and Adam Hartman.  Whether it was the late-night trips to Middlesex Diner for liver and onions or the annual marathon “Back-to-School shopping trips, her grandchildren were her priority, her life, and the reason she enjoyed her life to the very last breath.  They truly made her life complete.  This obituary would not be complete without the mentioning how much her dogs Babe and Casey meant to her.  (and the many other dogs embarrassingly, too numerous to mention).

She will be deeply missed by her sister and best friend, Gretchen K. McNaul  (and husband, Harry) Fisher and their family of Penfield, New York; son, William H. Hartman (and wife, Kyung) of Boiling Springs; daughter, Elizabeth A. Knouse (and husband Joseph M.) of Boiling Springs; and her five grandchildren, William, Annette, Abigail, Joseph Jr., and Adam.

Funeral services will be at Myers-Buhrig Funeral Home and Crematory, Mechanicsburg with a Gathering of Family & Friends on Saturday, September 3, 2016 from 12:00 to 1:00PM with Funeral Services at 1:00PM and burial at Mechanicsburg Cemetery at 2:00PM with the Reverend Brian Warner officiating.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the “South Middleton School District Scholarship Fund” c/o South Middleton School District 4 Forge Road Boiling Springs, PA 17007.

Eleanor’s family has entrusted her care to Myers – Buhrig Funeral Home and Crematory in Mechanicsburg, (717) 766-3421.  Read Eleanor’s full obituary, and sign her official guest book at www.Buhrig.com .