He was a bigger than life personality in this town.  He was a mover and a shaker behind the scenes and in the forefront.  There are few people who have done as much for the City of Victoria as Marvin Hartman.  Victoria is on a good path for the future because Marvin Hartman began opening gates about 40 years ago or so.
I was shocked and saddened to learn of his sudden death on this past Saturday morning of June 26th.  At the age of 65, Marv was a younger member of Old Victoria.   It's difficult to see Old Victoria pass on, especially when it seems ahead of time
Marv's death overshadows anything else I might want to write about this afternoon.  I liked Marv Hartman.  I enjoyed his friendship, conversation, and good cheer.  I respected his work and his vision for Victoria.
Marv's heart was in Victoria.  His home was here.  His work was here.  Marv and his family are probably responsible for building more homes and enhancing the landscape in Victoria more than anybody else.  Buying and develop-ing tracts of land in Chanhassen or Chaska or Timbuktu was outside of his interest. 
It was Victoria that received his attention.  Without a doubt, he made Victoria a better place for many people, especially young families.  He succeeded in bringing life and vitality to a dying town.
We would not have municipal water today if it were not for Marvin Hartman and, therefore, we would not have much at all.  For one thing, we would not have the fire protection that is required for our tremendous neighborhoods and super structures such as the Cabin Fever Complex, the enlarged HEI facility, Holy Family Catholic High School, the Victoria Field House, the Shores of Stieger Lake Condominiums, the Victoria Elementary School, the new churches, the Clocktower Building and other forthcoming down-town buildings.
Victoria only got water less than 20 years ago.  Marv Hartman knew that Victoria had to adapt to changing times or be swept into the dust heap of history by the whirlwind of activity that was already occurring all around us in neighboring towns.  I personally believe that, were it not for Marvin and his family, Victoria could today be a satellite of Chaska, sort of like Jonathan.  The belief is not without foundation. 
But Victoria slowly returned to a life of its own when Marv Hartman Construc-tion developed the Hartwood and Park-wood neighborhoods in the 1960's and 1970's as 'most everybody else was pulling out of town, especially the farm families and many children of Old Town Victoria.
Also in the '70's, Marv renovated the old Victoria Public School into our first office building at 1600 Arboretum Boulevard, which gave Victoria City Hall its first decent headquarters.  It's where I began attending my first city council meetings 25 years ago for the Gazette.
That old school renovation also brought businesses to town such as the dental practice of Drs. Perry and David Dungey, then Dr. Bruce Baker, and also Dr. Tim Sebenaler, the chiropractor, and several offices for other lines of work.
In the 1980's Marvin and his family continued to bring us more housing for young families with the new neighbor-hoods of Victoria Heights and Windtree and, subsequently, several subdivisions of the beautiful Katy Hills.  Field Creek and Wintergreen are also Hartman develop-ments.
Marvin believed in the future of Victoria, and this belief was especially evident when he moved to dig a com-munity well and distribution system for Katy Hills, prodding city councilmembers and staff to finally make their own move.
And he believed in his children.  Today each of the four children are successful with their own Victoria busi-nesses, including Terry at Hartman Com-munities, Jeff at Hartman Companies, Jerry at Hartman Tree Farm, and Debby at Hartman Realty.
For many years Marv Hartman was in the audience at Victoria City Council meetings, seldom saying a word, but sitting back with folded arms and taking mental notes about the city's needs and wants and the council's idiosyncrasies. 
When he did come to City Hall with another new development proposal for Victoria, that development was for the most part in line with city rules.  Yes, he even helped to make some of those rules as he served many years on the Victoria Planning Commission and on the Victoria Parks and Recreation Committee, even some time on the City Council itself.
Marv was not a fence sitter.  He was not an idle man.  He was a decision maker.  He was forward looking.  There seemed (seems!) always to be another piece of ground in Victoria waiting to be developed by the Hartmans.
I probably got to know Marv best through the Victoria Chamber of Commerce.  Our small band of members worked hard over the years to bring the first Fishing Contest to Victoria and the continuing "Touch of Bavaria."  We hauled picnic tables from our homes and neighborhoods to Lions Park and con-structed dance floors and cooked and served food -- for the people of Victoria.
Marv loved the German music, food, and drink, and he never minded that he was a bit of a spectacle with his suspenders, short pants, and other authentic German attire.
I will miss Marvin Hartman.
                                                               ~Sue