Rae Anne Hartman

Rae Anne Hartman, 76, passed away Saturday, July 17 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Rae Anne was a generous and devoted friend, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt, who loved to cook and entertain. Every holiday was an opportunity to welcome new and old friends, neighbors, and family while she created an elaborate meal. Often, she could be found watching sunsets on her deck, listening to music and drinking a special cocktail with neighbors and friends she had spontaneously invited to join her. Rae Anne was born in Wheeling, West Virginia to Raymond Colaizzi and Anne Alvarez. Her father, a bombardier in World War II, was killed in action shortly after receiving the news of her birth. Twelve years later her mother remarried to Dr. Charles William Runco (Bill) and soon after, Rae Anne became a loving big sister to Greg and Laryn. She met her husband, Robert (Bob) Hartman, at Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh, PA. After stints in Peoria, Cleveland, Wilmington, and Pittsburgh, they settled in Newark, Delaware where they raised three boys, Eric, Jeff, and Tim. Rae Anne worked as a school secretary for Wilmington High School before shifting to Activities Director for Manor Care nursing homes, where she lovingly cared for residents and brightened their days with music, games, and events. In “retirement,” she worked as the office manager for Lester Water Company and then started her own bookkeeping business in the Wilmington area. As a caring and dedicated aunt and grandmother, Rae Anne was very close with her nieces, Natalie and Julia, and her four grandchildren, Colton, Keegan, Caroline and Grant. She loved to host them all for week-long trips to her home, where she taught crafts, family recipes, and the finer points of discount shopping. A lover of music, she often joined her grandchildren at the piano for a duet or two. Throughout her life Rae Anne faced adversity with strength and courage. After finding herself widowed at age 65, she found love again with Larry Brzozowski, whom she loved for the rest of her life. Her greatest fear was Alzheimer’s disease, which had taken her mother’s life far too young. Yet together with Larry, she fought the onset vigorously and they lived life with as much joy and grit as possible as the disease progressed. Rae Anne is predeceased by her husband, Robert Hartman, and her parents, Anne Alvarez Runco, Raymond Colaizzi, and C. William Runco. She is survived by many loving family members: sons, Eric (Brooke) Hartman, Jeff Hartman, and Tim (Janine) Hartman; grandchildren, Colton, Keegan, Caroline and Grant; brother, Gregory Runco; sister, Laryn (Cynthia) Runco-Shumaker; sister-in-law, Carla Cozza; her nieces, Natalie and Julia Runco; niece and nephew, Dyson and Josie Shumaker; and numerous in-laws, cousins, and friends whom she dearly loved. Relatives and friends are invited to a celebration of Rae Anne's life on Friday, August 27 from 4-6pm at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, 100 Green Meadows Drive, Lewis Center, Ohio, 43035. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Rae Anne Hartman

July 17, 2021