June 12, 2023 – West Bend, Wi – With great sadness in our heart, we announce that Martina Hartwell (nee Hohmann) of West Bend passed away peacefully at the Kathy Hospice surrounded by family after a 2-year courageous hard-fought battle with gallbladder cancer.
Martina was born on June 22, 1962 in Künzell, Germany to Hermann and Anna Luise (nee Ruppel) Hohmann. Martina moved to Frankfurt where she attended nursing school in Frankfurt/Hoechst, Germany.
In 1983, she met the love of her life, Micheal Hartwell. They were married in March 1986 in Fulda Germany. Martina moved to the United States in June 1986 and the couple settled in West Bend in 1987. After clearing many hurdles to again practice nursing, in 1989 she started with St. Joseph Community Hospital as a Registered Nurse, working her first 11 years on the Med/Surg Unit of 2W.
Martina found her passion in the field of oncology where she spent the next 22 years working as a Certified Oncology Nurse in the Cancer Center. In her 32 years of nursing, Martina provided aid and a caring touch to thousands of patients, only retiring due to her unexpected illness.
While Martina’s work passion was nursing, she found another passion volunteering in the community working within Washington County 4-H. She volunteered as a club leader for the Good Luck 4-H Club, on the Washington County 4-H Leaders Board, on the Achievement and Recognition Committee, on the Food Stand Committee, and as the founder of the Washington County Geocaching Project. As the founder of the project, she enjoyed teaching youth about the hobby of geocaching which she loved to do as she traveled, having made over 6,800 geocache finds.
Nothing was more important to her than family. Preceding her in death were her father, Hermann Hohmann, as well as her parents-in-law, Richard “Dick” and Barbara Hartwell. In the United States, Martina is survived by her loving husband of 37 years, Micheal “Mike”, and her three wonderful children: Sarah (Ben) Stevenson of Fond du Lac, Stephen (Angela) Hartwell of West Bend, Stephanie Hartwell of West Bend, her grandson Lysander, and her sister-in-law Michelle (Todd) Wasmund of Lima, Ohio and many nieces and nephews. In Germany, Martina is survived by her mother, Anneliese Hohmann of Fulda, her sister Klara (Rüdiger) Kirchhof of Künzell, her brother Thomas (Petra) of Hattersheim, her brother Matthias (Corina) of Dorfborn, her god-daughter Stefanie (Karsten) Henning of Künzell and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family will greet visitors on Thursday, June 15, 2023 from 2 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at Holy Angels Catholic Church followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 6 p.m. with Rev. Howard Haase presiding. Burial will be Friday at 10 a.m. in Washington County Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers memorials to the 4-H Leaders Association in Washington County or the American Cancer Society are appreciated.
The Schmidt Funeral Home in West Bend is serving the family. If you would like to leave a message of comfort and condolence, please visit schmidtfuneralhome.com
