Victor L. Hartzler

Victor L. Hartzler died on March 11 at Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville. He was born on December 20, 1932, to Jesse and Ada (Schrock) Hartzler in Hesston, Kansas. He married Marlene A. Gauntt on May 5, 1956, at the Ellington Air Force Base chapel in Houston, Texas, and together they enjoyed almost 68 years of marriage.
He grew up on a farm and graduated from West Chester (Iowa) High School in 1950 and attended Goshen College (Indiana) for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. Later, while in the Air Force he earned both BSEE and MSEE degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Dayton, Ohio.
He served his country for 22 years during Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War, first as a B-47 navigator/bombardier crewmember and instructor. After receiving his engineering degrees, he worked as an analyst in the field of Technical Intelligence (TI). This included tours of duty as TI liaison officer to 7th AF Headquarters in Saigon, Vietnam and to Headquarters Tactical Air Command in Hampton, Virginia. He closed out his Air Force career at the Pentagon, as Executive Secretary, Scientific Advisory Committee to the Director, Defense Intelligence Agency.
He purchased a small cattle farm in Cave Springs, Arkansas in 1973 and an A&W restaurant franchise in Bentonville. With the help of the whole family, he operated both enterprises for more than 8 years. After selling the restaurant, he enjoyed bass fishing and the repair and refinishing of antique furniture. In 1993 he and Marlene retired to Bella Vista, and Vic began to collect and rebuild antique reed (pump) organs for himself and others. Over time he rebuilt and refinished over 50 pump organs in his workshop.
He was always a gentleman and showed grace to everyone. He loved his church, his family, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and looked forward to family reunions and activities.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, LaVerne Wolfer and three brothers, Maurice, Orval and Robert (Bob) and one granddaughter, Amanda Wilkerson.
He is survived by his wife, Marlene; three daughters, Vicque (Scott) White; Robin (Norm) Wilkerson and Sharon (Jim) Brown, all of NWA: ten grandchildren; Amber (Greg) Reifschneider, Kara (Doug) Johnson, Alexander (Holly) White, Elizabeth (Matt) Pollock, Drew (Heather) Wilkerson, Blaine Glaser (fiancé Sarah Schatz), Courtney (Zach) Mann, Derrick (Mackenzie) Wilkerson, Robert (Leslie) Brown, Tyler (Chelsea) Brown: fifteen great-grandchildren; Adelynn and McKinley Johnson, Elliott and Logan Reifschneider, Phoebe and Luke Wilkerson, Harlow and Walker Mann, Lola and Ivy White, Evelyn Pollock, Kylie and Barrett Brown, Slone and Camilla Brown and coming soon, Monroe Wilkerson. One sister, Orpha (Dick) Yoder of Wayland, Iowa and one brother, Dale (Meg) Hartzler of Broomfield, Colorado, and sister-in-law Char (Sam) Cochran of Coralville, Iowa.
We would like to thank Victor's hospice team; especially Tanya and Camryn, The Golden Guardians, and Legacy Village Circle of Life for the care and love they gave to Victor and our families.
A memorial service will be held Friday, March 15th at 11:30 a.m. under the direction of the Nelson-Berna Funeral Home Rogers. Burial with full military honors will be held at the Fayetteville National Cemetery following the service at 1:30 p.m.