Florence A. Hartmeyer

Florence Alice Hartmeyer passed peacefully at home on October 21, 2024 at the age of 96.  Always known as Alice, she was a lifetime resident of Laurel, Maryland.

Alice was born on June 20, 1928, on the family farm as the only child of her parents, the late Frank Allen and Rosalie Mitchell Allen.  Her father worked in the family clay business and her mother worked as a secretary at the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA Poultry Research Facility in Beltsville, Maryland.  Without other siblings, her best friend and constant companion was her horse “Polly”.  She became quite the equestrian and frequently could be found riding her horse, visiting nearby neighbors and making life-long friendships one of which would be her late husband Roger W. Hartmeyer.

Graduating from Laurel High School, she started working at USDA in Beltsville, Md., as a stenographer in 1949, working herself up to be a Personnel Administrative Officer before resigning in 1963, to support her husband as an officer’s wife in his Army and later civil service career.  Alice was a wonderful cook and renowned hostess, so much so that she contributed to some of the first USDA cookbooks throughout her career.  Later after her husband left the military she would use her style sense to open a ladies clothing boutique, the only one in Beltsville, where her many former co-workers would often shop.

She would meet and eventually marry her late husband Roger W. Hartmeyer through her neighbor and childhood riding companion the late William J. Hartmeyer Jr., and his predeceased sister Ida Fischer Miliner on March 29, 1948.  Though she would never have children she was a second mom to her husband’s nieces and nephews:  Rice Miliner, Amy Miliner Parker, the late Ellen Miliner Dove, William J. Hartmeyer III, Howard R. Hartmeyer and Alice Hartmeyer Frazier.  She is also survived by cousins Melanie McKnight, Bradley Allen Jr., and Marion Bowen of Laurel, Frank Bledsoe of Dunkirk, Md., Kathy Baldwin of Woodburn, Or., and Katie Larsen Bondhus, Betsy Larsen Liberto, along with Jeff Larsen, all in Mn.

Alice lived a full life and was a generous loving spirit who touched many hearts always there with a listening ear and words of encouragement.  Her memory will be cherished by many whom she adopted as family through the years and simply referred to her as Aunt Alice.

Funeral services will be at St. Nicholas Church in Laurel on Tuesday, October 29th, 2024.  Visitation beginning at 10am with Mass to follow at 11am.  Burial will be immediately following Mass service at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, Maryland.