Pierre M. Hartman November 26, 1930 – July 30, 2022

Pierre M. Hartman, 91, passed away at his home in Tehachapi on Saturday, July 30. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Aug. 15, at Bakersfield National Cemetery, 30338 E. Bear Mountain Blvd., Arvin, California.

Pierre was born Nov. 26, 1930, in France to John A. and Yvonne Reynaud Hartman and raised in Denver, Colorado. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1953 to 1955 before earning a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1958.

He spent 10 years working as a foreign service officer in the U.S. Department of State. He earned a law degree from George Washington University in 1969 while he worked there. In 1969, he became a senior attorney for NASA at its Washington, D.C., headquarters, then transferred to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California in 1992. He retired from Dryden as chief counsel in 1995.

He and his wife Jane have lived in Tehachapi since 1992. He was an active member of the Tehachapi Democratic Club. He wrote periodic columns for the Tehachapi News that he later collected into a book about life during World War II for those at home.

He loved flying, held a commercial pilot certificate and kept an airplane at Tehachapi Airport. He and Jane took many cross-country airplane trips. He loved hiking and backpacking with Jane, including through the Grand Canyon.

Pierre enjoyed many long-time friendships, including ones with artist Tom Bartek and the late John Hays, with whom he went on many backpacking trips.

He was also an avid traveler. He and Jane traveled through Europe, Canada and Southeast Asia.

Pierre is survived by his wife Jane; his daughter, Kimberly Hartman; son-in-law, Paul Teske; and grandchildren, Julia Hartman-Teske and Reid Hartman-Teske; his son, Geoffrey Hartman; stepdaughter, Jodi McFarland; step-granddaughter, Danielle Turner, her husband, Sam and their children, Lydia, and Jack; his stepson, Jim Burriss; nieces, Jeannette Hartman, and Dianna Hartman Branson; and Jane's nephews, Ian and Kevin, and niece, Elizabeth. His parents and brother, Jean F. Hartman, preceded him in death.

Wood Family Funeral Service has been entrusted with his care. For condolences, please visit http://www.woodmortuary.net.