David Arthur Hartmann

Dave was born the fourth child of Cecelia and Arthur Hartmann of Evansville, Indiana, on August 5, 1943. He graduated from Mater Dei High School in 1961 and enlisted in the U.S. Army. After serving in Japan and upon his release from the Army in 1965, he returned to Indiana where he attended the University of Evansville. In 1966, he married Cathy Wahnsiedler also of Evansville and started a family. Upon graduating from college, he started a lifelong career, to which he was dedicated, with the National Security Agency (NSA). He served with the NSA at Fort Meade, Maryland, and completed tours of duty in the United Kingdom, West Germany, and Bosnia, retiring in 1999. During this time Dave received a commendation from the Director of the NSA for his efforts surrounding the release of the hostages in Iran, two Meritorious Civilian Service Awards, the Director of National Intelligence Award for Collaborative Leadership, and a North Atlantic Treaty Organization Service of Freedom Medal. Following the events of September 11, 2001, he returned to duty at NSA serving an additional 13 years. He enjoyed family meals, working with wood and refinishing furniture, teaching part-time at the Anne Arundel Community College, and devotedly following the English Premier Soccer League. He and Cathy resided in Falls Church, Virginia, where, after a long battle with cancer, he passed away peacefully on November 29, 2023, with Cathy at his side. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother Richard Hartmann. He is survived by his sister Bernadette Ferguson, his brother Don (Rita) Hartmann, his sister-in-law Georgia Hartmann; by his children Joseph (Tracy) Hartmann, Matthew (Bonnie) Hartmann, and Christy Hartmann (Chad Stamps); and by four grandchildren Nathan, Benjamin, Sara and Hannah. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation in Dave’s name to the Sisters of St. Benedict, Ferdinand, Indiana (thedome.org). The Benedictine nuns were some of Dave’s teachers at Mater Dei where he was voted funniest in his senior class, known by some for a prank or two. In his later years, Dave made donations to the Benedictines in a spirit of atonement.