Steve Hartman

Steve Hartman, 66, of Nacogdoches died Monday, February 24, 2025 in a local hospital. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Carroway Funeral Home.

Steve was born March 22, 1958 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Mary Lou (Mallet) and Charles Patrick Hartman. He was raised just outside Lufkin and attended Herty Elementary. Their Catholic faith was important as Steve as growing up and he served as an altar boy for Sunday Mass. He was involved in Boy Scouts, attaining the ranking of Second Class, but mostly due to the urging of his dad, who was one of the Scout Masters. His dad registered him for a social security card when he was 13 so he began working at an early age. After high school, a neighbor introduced him to an apprentice job in Saudi Arabia. After working hard and saving money, he was so proud to have purchased a brand-new car, a T-top Trans-Am. However, two weeks later he was involved in an accident that left him as a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. After nine months in a Houston hospital, he returned home to learn how to live a very different life. With a lot of help and support from friends, family, students and teachers, he attended Angelina College. He was instrumental in working with new programs coming from Texas Instruments, involving new voice command programs. Purchasing a van was another door opening towards his independence. Upon graduating, he secured a job at the Texas Highway Department. With his disabilities and wheelchair requirements, he forged a lot of new ground in those days. He attended Stephen F. Austin State University to major in Rehabilitation and Psychology. The university was just completing guidelines for the Disability Act of 1973, therefore most classes had wheelchair accessibility and some buildings had elevators. After graduation he began teaching life skills to developmental high school students through the co-op of area schools. He also became a Walmart greeter, which he thoroughly enjoyed because he had the opportunity to meet and visit with a lot of people. Although he had a busy work schedule, he looked so forward to going every day, because at one time he thought he would never be able to, and it gave him purpose and made his life worth living each day. Life threw a lot of challenges his way, but his independence was something he greatly valued.

Survivors include his sisters and brothers-in-law, Melissa and Michael Morrison of Apple Springs, Laurie McCleskey and Kevin Salley of Lufkin; niece, Jennifer Morrison of Cypress; nephews, Allen Morrison of Tyler and Terry Morrison of Tom Bean; along with numerous cousins and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents and multiple aunts and uncles.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.