Jennifer Hartman

A vibrant, fun-loving, and animated woman, Jennifer Hartman vibrantly colored the world around her each and every day. She has been called the junk food queen and could always be found with a Mountain Dew in her hand, although she had the personality of the Energizer bunny all on her own. Jenny was also as sweet as they come and fully devoted to caring for her children and loving her family with a love that was truly unmatched. Taken from her loved ones much too soon, she will be deeply missed while her memory remains forever near and dear to the hearts of those too numerous to count.

The 1980s were a decade to remember as it truly became known as the electronic age. The video camera helped up preserve our memories like never before while countless people began using personal computers. Revenge of the Nerds, Lucas, and E. T. topped the box office charts, and Michael Jackson and Madonna became household names. It was during this exciting time that a young couple from Kankakee, Illinois, was blessed to welcome a son and a daughter into their hearts on January 3, 1983. Jennifer and her twin brother, Michael Andrew, were two of three children born to their parents, John and Cheryl (Young) Hartman, on January 3, 1983, at Riverside Medical Center. The joy the young family felt turned to sorrow with the death of Jennifer’s twin brother about a week after he was born.

In many ways Jenny experienced a typical childhood that reflected her generation. She and her sister, Katie, were raised in the family home in Herscher. Although they spent much of their time fighting, they also had a deep love for one another. Jenny always loved babies and spent countless hours playing Barbies with Katie, however, Jenny’s form of playing usually meant cutting their Barbie dolls’ hair. As a child her grandmother always made her eat her fruits and veggies. On one such occasion Jenny didn't want to eat her banana, but of course was forced to, and it made her vomit. As a result she couldn’t stomach the smell of bananas nor could she stand eating them for the rest of her life.

While growing up Jenny was a bustle of activity. She looked forward to family vacations in Minnesota every summer, as well as the annual gathering at her grandparents’ house for Christmas Eve. On one of their Minnesota vacations Jenny and Katie were riding their Uncle Dave's ATV on the trails, speeding and being crazy. Jenny kept telling Katie to slow down, which she didn't, that is until she hit a stump. Katie nearly flew off, saved only by Jenny’s hand that grabbed her and pulled her back down. The only thing Jenny said was, "I told you." Katie recognized that Jenny saved her life that day, and together the sisters swore not to tell anyone. There was also the time that Jenny was working on a school project and the glue was stuck. Katie convinced her to jump on the bottle to get it open, which did unclog it, but the glue shot up to the ceiling where they left it and it hardened a short time later. It wasn't until several months later that it was noticed, and to this day the glue remains.

Although she enjoyed so many things, everything Jen loved was only made better when shared with the people she loved. While growing up she got into babysitting and scrapbooking as well as cheering on the Herscher Tiger teams. Jen also volunteered as a teacher’s aide and was a genuine and loyal friend to many. She went on to graduate from Herscher High School in 2001. A bit later Jen was blessed with the birth of her daughter, Hailey, and later her son, Michael. She loved her children deeply, and both had special needs that she selflessly tended to. Jen loved spoiling her children as well as her new nephew. She also remained close to her grandparents whom she affectionately called “Hammy and Pop.” New and exciting changes were on the horizon for Jen as she became engaged to Joe Heeg, whom she met while working at a previous job and had more recently reconnected with via the Internet. Although the rest of her family members were Cubs fans, Jenny was a White Sox fan, and she also enjoyed Adam Sandler movies and shows like Sons of Anarchy. She had a special place in her heart for animals, collected Willow Tree figurines, enjoyed spending time on Facebook and making blankets, and Jen was into all things country and cowboy.

All who knew Jennifer Hartman certainly would agree that she put the sparkle into the world around her. She never shied away from doing things her own way and seemed to change her hair color as often as the seasons change. Jenny was a bit of a shopaholic and loved a good argument as she could really get into it when she was talking about something she was passionate about. With unending love for her family and friends, she was such a blessing in every way. Jen will be dearly missed and forever remembered by her many friends and loved ones.

Jen Hartman, of Ashkum, died on Saturday, December 28, 2013, at University of Chicago Hospital. Jennifer’s family includes her daughter, Hailey; son, Michael; fiancé, Joe Heeg of Ashkum; parents, John and Cheryl Hartman of Herscher; sister, Katie (Tony) Hubert of Kankakee; nephew, Andrew Hubert; maternal grandparents, Ronald and Barbara Young of St. Anne and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Jennifer was preceded in death by her twin brother, Michael Andrew Hartman, and her paternal grandparents, Christine and Russell Hartman. A gathering time for friends and family will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2014, from 2:00-6:00 p.m. at Schreffler Life Story Funeral Home’s Kankakee Chapel. Another gathering time will be held on Monday, January 6, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Kankakee. Burial will immediately follow at All Saints Catholic Cemetery, Bourbonnais. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for the care of Jen’s children. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or sign the online guestbook.