Greg Hartell
1939-2006

My friend and yours, Gregory Robert "Greg" Hartell, died on Sunday April 23, 2006. He was 66 years old.

Greg was a founding member of the Friends of Crater Lake National Park. He and his wife Beverley were particularly active during our early years, Bev serving two terms as President. Greg served as Treasurer as well as being a very active Board member. He was our leader in establishing the tradition of the "project weekends". Greg set them up and ran them. And he did it so everyone had fun.

Greg began his career with Crater Lake National Park in 1957 as a seasonal working in the sign shop. He also worked on the original construction of the Cleetwood Cove Trail and boat dock. As a professional carpenter and project supervisor, Greg worked on many park projects, mostly restoring the old historic buildings in Munson Valley. He also ran new construction projects including the maintenance and equipment shop and the Mazama Dormitory Complex. Greg's real love was restoring the old buildings, including the Crater Lake Lodge and the Community House. The degree of care he used along with his expertise really shows.

On top of all this, and while getting the work done and done right, Greg was one of those really fine human beings who enriched other peoples' lives and just made everyone feel good in being around him. He will be missed for a very long time.

We've reprinted his official obituary, kindly provided by Greg's wife Bev Hartell.

Gregory Robert "Greg" Hartell 66, of Klamath Falls died Sunday, April 23, 2006 at his home in Algoma of mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer.

The family invites friends for a visit at their Algoma home Saturday, April 29 between 1 and 5 p.m. A service for Mr. Hartell will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 27 at the Fort Klamath Community Church In Fort Klamath with concluding services and internment of ashes to follow at the Fort Klamath Cemetery. A gathering following the services will be held at the Fort Klamath CI Club.

Mr. Hartell was born June 11, 1939 to Guy and Eva (MacDonald) Hartell in Fort Klamath, OR. He moved to the Shady Pine area of Klamath Falls at a young age and graduated from Klamath Union School in 1957. Mr. Hartell served in the U.S. Army from 1961 to 1963.

On March 20, 1965 he married Beverley Ann Proffitt in La Grande, OR.

Mr. Hartell was a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America and a past president of Carpenters Local Union 190 of Klamath Falls. He worked locally on many buildings and homes. Additionally, Mr. Hartell was known for his work on many of the historic structures at Crater Lake National Park. Mr. Hartell was a past board member of the Friends of Crater Lake and was very active in many of the friends park projects. For the last decade Mr. Hartell developed a special interest in blacksmithing. He was a member of the California Blacksmith Association and the Artist Blacksmith Association of North America.

He is survived by his wife Beverley Hartell of Klamath Falls, son Jason Hartell, Lexington, KY; daughter Amy Hartell and partner Larry Turner, Malin, OR; sister and brother-in-law Margaret and Steve Rasmussen; brother and sister-in-law Kenneth and Barbara Hartell; nieces Michelle Polchow, Vienna, VA and Kristi Morgan, Truckee, CA; nephew Scott Hartell, North Powder, OR; Aunt Jean Briscoe, Montesano, WA; numerous other family members and his special blacksmith and carpenters friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a twin brother, Guy Russell Hartell.

Donation may be made to the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), 1525 Aviation Blvd, Suite 318, Redondo Beach, CA 90276 or the California Blacksmith Association (CBA) Education Fund, c/o Lowell Chaput, 5677 Redwood Dr, Suite E, Rohnert Park, CA 94928.

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