In loving memory of
James Edward Hartman
August 26, 1946 - May 2, 2026

Family to receive Friends
Friday, May 29, 2026, 4:00–7:00pm
Church of the Incarnation

Funeral
Saturday, May 30, 2:00 pm
Park View Mennonite Church

Reception
Saturday, May 30, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Hartman Hall, JMU’s College of Business
Guests may park in parking lots: P, C5, G, and Champion’s Deck.

A private burial will be held.

Obituary
James Edward Hartman died at his home on May 2, 2026, surrounded by his family.

Mr. Hartman was born on August 26, 1946, in Harrisonburg, VA, and was a son of the late Dwight Wilson Hartman and Ellen Pellman Hartman. On April 14, 1984, he married Carolyn Kaufman Hartman who survives. Also surviving are his children, Scott Edward Hartman and wife Lisa of Pittsboro, NC; Brett Shannon Hartman and wife Leah of Nokesville, VA; and Jennifer Elizabeth Risser of Harrisonburg, VA; siblings Jeanne Hartman, Curt Hartman and wife Jackie; Mark Hartman and wife Sharon; and grandchildren, Jacob Edward Hartman, Sara Katherine Hartman, Alexandria Paige Lane, and Austin Chase Hartman.

Family, friends, business associates, and colleagues will remember him as a true southern gentleman, the embodiment of principle and integrity, pillar of the community, charitable benefactor, and mentor to so many. While his list of achievements is long, they are eclipsed by his role as a devoted husband and father. His true impact is found in the love he had for his family, and the profound influence, wisdom, and lasting values he leaves behind in the hearts of those he guided.

From a young age, Hartman was working around tractor-trailers as part of his father’s business. His first job was entry-level in the parts department and by the mid-1980s, he was Sales Manager, President, and Dealer Principal. Over the course of his fifty-two years with Truck Enterprises, he guided the business through decades of growth, change, and challenges, growing the business from three locations in Harrisonburg, VA, to eight locations in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. He was Kenworth Dealer of the Year in 1985 and 1999 and held various positions in the sector, including being a board member of the Virginia Trucking Association, the American Truck Dealers’ Association, and the Kenworth Dealer Council. Hartman was committed to his employees, customers, and suppliers, knowing that they counted on his leadership to keep their jobs secure and their families protected through the ups and downs of economic cycles. He retired in 2020 when he sold the business to Kenworth Sales Company, based in Salt Lake City.

Hartman graduated from James Madison University with a degree in business administration in 1970. He regarded his undergraduate education at JMU with great appreciation, noting “I look back at those years as being really important and critical to our success in our family business, because it gave me a strong foundation.” He was appointed to JMU’s Board of Visitors, serving from 2004–2010, was Rector from 2010–2012, and was serving on the board of the JMU Foundation at the time of his death. In 2020, the Hartman’s made a gift to JMU’s College of Business, now named Hartman Hall.

Hartman was a great supporter and benefactor of his local community. He was active in coaching his sons’ little league teams and was a member of the Jaycees. He was an active member of Park View Mennonite Church for many years and was most recently a member of Church of the Incarnation, serving on the finance committees of both churches. He was President of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce and named Business Person of the Year in 2000 by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce. He also served as Vice President of Massanutten VoTech and worked with the American Heart Association and the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

The family will receive friends on Friday, May 29, 2026, from 4:00–7:00pm at the Church of the Incarnation. Burial will be held privately. A Christian funeral will be held on May 30 at 2:00pm at Park View Mennonite Church followed by a reception from 4:00–6:00pm in Mr. Hartman’s honor at Hartman Hall, JMU’s College of Business. Guests may park in the following parking lots: P, C5, G, and Champion’s Deck.

In lieu of flowers, the Hartman family requests that you may honor Jim by making contributions to James Madison University’s Valley Scholars, which provides scholarships to help talented students in the Shenandoah Valley become the first in their families to earn a college degree.  Additionally, contributions may be made to the Good Samaritans fund at the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community Foundation which provides care for those in need.