HARTMAN, JOHN K. “JACK”

John K. “Jack” Hartman of rural Powell, Ohio, died Thursday, March 9, 2023 at age 77. An emeritus professor of journalism and member of the Journalism Hall of Fame at Central Michigan University and a distinguished alumnus of the Ashland, Ohio, City Schools, Hartman was known for his 20 years of service on the Bowling Green, Ohio, Board of Education, his two books about the national newspaper USA TODAY and his visiting professorship at King Saud University. Hartman is survived by his wife of 55 years, Kay Lynn Franks Hartman, his childhood sweetheart. They were married June 11, 1967, at First United Methodist Church in Ashland. He is also survived by three daughters Kimberly Hartman Brueck (Jeremy) of Green, Ohio, Alicia Hartman Wolshire (Jayson) of Dublin, Ohio, and Jacqueline Hartman Ashley (John) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; by seven grandchildren: Isaac Edward Kinaitis, Ian Matthew Kinaitis, Adam Jayson Wolshire, Ella Hartman Wolshire, Aiden Timothy Brueck, Samantha Harper Ashley, and Paige Sophia Ashley, and by two sisters Ruth Arlene Hartman Morr (William) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Nora Kathryn Hartman Kelting (Michael) of Newton, Kansas, and by his cousin Patricia Morris of Lake Tahoe, California. He was preceded in death by his parents Harvey Hamill Hartman and Kathryn Jane Timmons Hartman. John Kenneth Hartman was born Dec. 30, 1945, in Ashland, Ohio. He graduated from Ashland High School (1963), where he was sports editor of the school newspaper and a three-year varsity letterman in tennis. He earned three degrees from Bowling Green State University: a bachelor’s of business administration in journalism (1967), a master’s in radio-tv-film (1977) and a doctor of philosophy in interpersonal and public communication (1986). He was a member of the BGSU Alumni Association and the Falcon Club. As a student, he helped broadcast the first football game played in Doyt L. Perry Stadium. His career highlights included: sports editor, Ashland Times-gazette, 1968-1971; public information officer, Ohio Department of Transportation, 19711974; instructor of journalism, Bowling Green State University, 1977-1979; copy editor, Toledo Blade, 1980-1984; professor of journalism, Central Michigan University, 1984-2015; and columnist, Columbus Free Press, 2015-2023. His author name was John K. Hartman for The USA TODAY Way in 1992 and The USA TODAY Way 2 The Future in 2000. He published many articles and made many presentations of research and commentary about newspapers, journalism and politics. He began his career at CMU as an instructor in 1984 and rose to the rank of professor in 1992. At CMU, he was known for his wit and for his penchant for telling students the unvarnished truth. He served as departmental chair on two occasions. In 2008, he was selected as the Al-jazirah Newspaper International Chair of Journalism, one of 50 subject-specific international professors chosen to serve as a visiting professor at King Saud University, the largest university in Saudi Arabia. Hartman and his wife Kay were elected delegates and attended the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004. He was a long-time Democratic precinct committeeman and party activist. He was elected five times to the Bowling Green Board of Education and was the leading vote-getter each time, serving from 1978 until 1997. He served on the Penta Vo-ed board for five years and was honored on three occasions by the FFA. He was an avid and competitive tennis player. Most notably he was doubles champion of Ashland five times, singles champion of Medina once, and a member of two over-70s championship teams in the Greater Columbus Tennis Association. The family will receive visitors on Friday, March 31, 2023, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Rutherford Funeral Home at Powell, 450 W. Olentangy St., Powell, Ohio, 43065. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice or those listed in the online obituary at https://www.rutherfordfuneralhomes. com/obituaries/john-hartman-24/#!/obituary