John A. Hartner

John A. Hartner III, of Woodbine, died June 24, 2009, at his home from complications of progressive supranuclear palsy. He was 79.

Mr. Hartner was born Dec. 16, 1929, to John A. and Jessie Ward Hartner, of Savage. On Aug. 30, 1952, he married Edwina Carr.

He lived his young life in Laurel, where he worked at the Laurel Race Track, selling papers, shining shoes, painting seats in the grandstand and cooling horses. A graduate of Laurel High School, he joined the Maryland State Guard at 16 in active federal service. He was in World War II with the National Guard and a member of the National Guard 224 Field Artillery Battalion.

Family members recalled that he was proud to be top sharp shooter in his battalion. After 25 years with the WSSC as a construction engineer, he retired in 1976. He owned Bottom of the Bay Seafood with his business partner Jim Smith for 23 years, and started racing thoroughbred horses in 1988, and breeding horses.

He had also been a Laurel Rescue Squad member.

Mr. Hartner is survived by his wife of 57 years, Edwina; his four children, John Edwin Hartner, of Woodbine, Virginia Cotter, of Henderson, N.C., Debra Fort, of Wildwood, Fla., and Catherine Peacock, of Woodbine; seven grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at Alberta Gary Memorial United Methodist Church (Guilford Methodist Church), 9405 Guilford Road, in Columbia at 11:00 a.m. on July 11, 2009.

Memorial donations may be made to CurePSP, Executive Plaza III, Suite 906, 11350 McCormick Road, Hunt Valley, MD 21031.

user comments (0)