Col, USAF, MSC (ret) Randall Wynn Hartley

Randall Wynn Hartley (“Hart”), 68, of Valrico, FL, was called home by God on Friday December 29, 2023. He was surrounded by family after a long fight with cancer. Randy was preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy A. Mills Hartley, his father, Charles Lee (“Chuck”) Hartley of Front Royal, VA and his grandson, Lucas Ryan Love (4 months). Left to cherish his memory are his brother, Bradford Wayne Hartley, his wife, Debra Sue Patterson Hartley, his daughters, Allyson Dawn Hartley Calandro and Carrie Elizabeth Hartley Love and his son, Kyle Andrew Hartley. He has two son-in-laws, Matthew John Calandro and Travis Andrew Love. Grandchildren include Madison Renee Puffinberger (16), Alayna Janiel Love (13) Jackson Aaron Calandro (10), and Scarlett Ray Calandro (2).

Randy’s education included Warren County High School in Front Royal, VA in 1973, graduated from Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 1977 and received his Master of Science from University of Northern Colorado in 1980.

He was commissioned in the United States Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant in May 1977 and reported for his first assignment in March 1978. He married the former Debra Sue Patterson in March 1978. Allyson was born in 1982 and Carrie was born in 1984, in Lexington, VA when he returned to VMI ROTC Duty. Kyle was born in 1990 at Langley AFB, VA. This was a challenging time because he left the family to deploy for Desert Shield/Desert Storm on December 17,1990. He also deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001. He retired as a Colonel from the USAF at Eglin AFB on April 7, 2005. During this time the family and friends enjoyed boating, cruising and the beautiful Gulf beaches.

In the Fall of 2006 he was not quite ready for retirement and moved on to Jacksonville, FL to work at St. Vincent’s Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital until 2011. The joy of grandchildren followed. Motorcycling and boating were our hobbies. In 2011 he was contacted by Nemours Children’s Hospital to help with the building and opening of a brand-new Children’s Hospital in Lake Nona, FL (Orlando). Randy found great joy and fulfillment serving the Nemours mission with his Associates to reimagine children’s health care beyond medicine. He retired from Nemours Children’s Hospital at the end of June 2021. His hobbies were his Harley, Shelby and relaxing on our RV. Traveling with great friends and family was awesome and he thoroughly enjoyed relaxing. While in Orlando we loved visiting Disney and Universal Studios with family and friends. In 2022, the Tampa area was calling because we wanted to be closer to family, grandchildren and purchase a retirement home. He enjoyed Jackson’s baseball games and reading to Scarlett. He also enjoyed hearing about Kyle’s international trips and they both shared a love for history. We enjoyed regular summer visits with Maddie and Alayna for “Gran’s Summer Camp.” He enjoyed traveling and his last trip was on the Rocky Mountaineer Train in Canada in May 2022 with his wife and reunion of some military friends. The visits of family and friends in the last couple of months have been so uplifting.

The Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held at St. Andrews United Methodist Church, 3315 Bryan Road, Brandon, FL 33511 on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.

Guest Viewing at 10:00-11:00 am, Service at 11:00 am and Reception to follow at the Church.

• In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either (1) specialops.org Website or by mail to Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Box 89367, Tampa, FL 33689 OR (2) Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa at give.moffitt.org

• If you wish to send flowers, they can be sent to Stowers Funeral Home, 401 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon, FL 33511

Interment will be later date at Arlington National Cemetery