Cleo May Hartman, 91, of Ligonier, passed away at 5:11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, at Parkview Noble Hospital in Kendallville. She was born on Aug. 27, 1924, the daughter of Eddie William and Rena May (Long) Bassler in Macy. On April 18, 1943, she married Harold James Hartman Sr. who passed away in Feb. of 1997.

She is survived by her six children: Beverly Genaro, Fort Wayne; Harold ‘Jim’ (Dorothy) Hartman, Kendallville; Jo (Terry) Growcock, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Shari Jeanne Hartman, Fort Wayne; John Michael (Kathy) Hartman, Fenton, Mo.; and Cindy Suelen Niles, Greenville; 12 grandchildren; 3 step-grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; and one step-great-great-grandhchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; a son-in-law, Joseph Genaro; and two sisters: Annabelle Bassler and Delores Tharp.

Cleo was an avid gardener and loved to preserve food, knit, and sew. She worked hard all her life and eventually retired from Superior Sample. Cleo and her husband also owned and operated the little grocery store on Lincolnway West in Ligonier in the late 1940’s through the 1950’s.

A funeral service will be held in Cleo’s honor at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Yeager Funeral Home, Ligonier. Pastor John Lutton will officiate. Burial will follow at Sparta Cemetery in Kimmell. Family and friends will be received from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the funeral home prior to the funeral service. Memorial contributions may be directed to Parkview Noble Hospice.