Alexander Hall Hartman

Alexander Hall Hartman, loving and beloved husband, treasured son and brother, and remarkable human being, passed away on Tuesday January 28, 2020 at the far-too-young age of 31. He is survived by his wife, Viveka Jahn, his mother and father, Amy and Rome Hartman III, his brother Rome IV (R.J.), a legion of extended family and friends, and a devoted Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy named Rosie.

Alex had a remarkable zeal for life. From the earliest age, his curiosity was insatiable; he wanted to learn about everything, and he took pleasure in sharing what he learned with those around him. Try to think of one person not in the news business who knew as much about current events, trends, and ideas as Alex. He was hugely creative, with genuine artistic talent. He loved travel and adventure. As a young boy, he was excited about every new place he visited, from the playground at Cabin John Park to the alleys and canals of Venice. As a couple, he and Viveka explored new places every time they had a chance, from Maine to Montana, Panama to Portugal…who else goes to Malta for 36 hours?

Alex attended Burning Tree Elementary, Pyle Middle, and Walt Whitman High Schools in Bethesda, Maryland. He was an excellent student and a ferociously competitive athlete, particularly in soccer, which he joyfully played into adulthood. He adored his older brother R.J., and the admiration was mutual. On the last night of his life, he and R.J. were laughing together after a family dinner, and the last words Alex heard were from his brother: “Good night, bro. Love you.”

Alex graduated from Duke University in 2011, and returned to Washington to take a job at The Advisory Board. He and Viveka grew up just a few miles from one another, but didn’t meet until they both came back ‘home’ after college. They were together from the day they met, moved to New York for work for a few years, and married in 2016. Alex became a valued member of the Jahn family, adopting their Swedish traditions and rituals (and drinking songs). This ran in the other direction as well; Viveka is and will remain the beloved daughter (in-law) Amy Hartman never had.

“Wicked smart” is the term that best describes Alex’s mind. He gravitated toward data analytics as a profession, and proudly showed off his latest “dashboards” to family and friends who tried to keep up with him and tried NOT to admit that they really had no idea what he was talking about.

The phrase we’ve heard and spoken most often since Alex left us is “there are no words.” And there really aren’t. Our loss is unspeakable. Our hearts are broken, but also filled with gratitude for Alex’s life and passion and talent and grace.

A memorial service and celebration of Alex’s life will be held at 2pm Wednesday, February 5 at All Saints Episcopal Church, 3 Chevy Chase Circle, Chevy Chase, MD

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Alex’s name to the following organizations. (Contributions to any of them would please him)

The Hartman Family Scholarship Fund

Duke University Alumni & Development Records

Box 90581, Durham NC 27708

The Akiba School

P.O. Box 386-00625

Kangemi, Nairobi, Kenya

The Humane Rescue Alliance of DC

www.humanerescuealliance.org