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Obituaries

Harold A. 'Hal' Hartvigsen

Obituary Date: Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Harold (Hal) Hartvigsen (a.k.a. Hal Hart), Lanier Village Estates, Gainesville, GA, passed away on January 1, 2013 from cancer. He was 86 years old and was predeceased by his wife Nan, in 1999. He was born in Maquoketa, Iowa, and grew up in Elwood and Iowa City, Iowa.

Mr. Hartvigsen is survived by his sons, David Hartvigsen, PhD, Granger, IN, professor at the University of Notre Dame, and Gregg Hartvigsen PhD, Geneseo, NY, professor at the State University of New York, Geneseo; daughters-in-law Nancy Johnson, Granger, IN, and Meredith Drake, Geneseo, NY; grandchildren Tom and Phoebe, Geneseo, NY; and brother Donald and sister-in-law Della Hartvigsen, Coralville, IA.

Mr. Hartvigsen served in the armed forces during World War II in the Manhattan District Project, 1945-1946. He was a 1951 journalism graduate of the University of Iowa. He was sports director of SWUI, the University of Iowa's radio station in 1951-1959; public relations director, Bear Manufacturing Co., Rock Island, IL, 1959-1967; vice president of Stanley Publishing Co., Chicago, and editor of Automotive Aftermarket News, 1967-1972; vice president, public affairs and spokesperson training, Manning, Selvage & Lee, an international public relations agency, 1972-1989; and president of Hal Hart Communications. 1990-1995.

His first book, Successful Spokespersons Are Made, Not Born, was published in 2000, an expanded edition was published in 2007, which also was published in Chinese by Peking University Press. His first novel, The Quarterback Club, was published in 2005, followed by The Montauk Triangle, 2007, Murder In The Retirement Castle, 2010, and finally his memoir The Road to Madison Avenue, 2012.

He was instrumental in forming the Darien, CT, Music Boosters Association; was a Power Squadron commander, district public relations officer and life member of the United States Power Squadrons; member of the Big Canoe (GA) Writers Club, Atlanta Writers Club and Georgia Writers Club; member of Gainesville Kiwanis Club, Gainesville First United Methodist Church, and member of the Believers Concert and Jazz Bands, Gainesville.

Memorials should be sent to one's favorite charity.

A memorial service will be held at Lanier Village Estates January 7, 2013 at 11am. Interment will be in Oakdale Memorial Gardens, Davenport, IA.



Those wishing to make online condolences may do so at www.littledavenport.com.



Little & Davenport Funeral Home, 355 Dawsonville Highway, S.W., Gainesville, Ga. 30501 is in charge of arrangements.
Funeral Date
01/07/2013 at 12:00AM
Funeral Home
Little & Davenport Funeral Home