Ruth E. Hartman

Ruth Ellen Hartman died peacefully in her home in Boulder, CO shortly after sunrise on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.  She was 69 years old.

Ruth was born in New York City on February 19, 1950 to Edith and Henry Gordon. Her sister, Laura, was there to welcome her.  Ruth attended high school in the New York City borough of Queens, and graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a BA in Sociology.

Ruth was a kind and caring soul who always had time to hear your feelings and be with you through whatever you had going on. She followed her own path, which led  her from NYC to upstate NY where she lived with friends on Tree Frog farm and later met Stan Hartman in Albany, NY while working at a Natural Foods store and fighting for women’s rights at the docks.  In 1975, they moved to Boulder, driving across the country in a VW bus, and got married the same year.

Stan and Ruth had two children: Dane (born 1979) and Kate (born 1983). Stan and Ruth were self-employed most of their careers, each carving out a niche that served the Boulder community. Ruth started a massage practice before there was a massage school in town, and she became a birth doula before there was any kind of doula association. As a doula, Ruth assisted at over 400 births over the course of 18 years, and she offered birthing classes to the Boulder community for over 10 years. She touched many lives in her practice, helping to bring trust and a sense of safety to hundreds of mothers and families.  Ruth eventually retired from her birthing classes and doula work, but she continued to see massage clients until a few weeks before her death.

Ruth loved nature, gardening, healthy food, and yoga. Most of all she loved to take care of others. Whether  it was through massage, thoughtful gifts, home-cooked food, kind words, or a listening ear, she was always happiest while being helpful and kind.

Stan (1941-2013) and Ruth lived and died the way they chose, not following any path carved by society but one of their own creation. Their strong moral and spiritual beliefs led them to value  love and human connection over material wealth. Their kindness and generosity of character touched many in the Boulder community and beyond.

Ruth is survived by her sister, Laura Gordon; her son, Dane Hartman (wife Carrie); her daughter, Kate Hoffman (husband Frank); her grandchildren, Skye (6), Calvin (4), Sage (3.5) and Lillian (6mo), and her partner, André Radatus.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Stan, and her parents.

A memorial is planned for Sunday, September 8th, 2019. For more information and to RSVP please visit:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXuiwS5aMfgK9BXJQYtODp5nCbM0TOmlN8eAdqYFrqhUkLTw/viewform

As per Stan and Ruth’s wishes, please send any donations in their memory to the Sierra Club at https://sierra.secure.force.com/donate/rc_connect__campaign_designform?id=7010Z000001OzvKQAS&formcampaignid=7010Z000001P1f0QAC&_ga=2.67088366.1942219251.1561244087-80555299.1561244087

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