Alice R. Hartwig

ALICE R. HARTWIG, age 92,

of New Bremen, died at 2:44 P.M. on Sunday, April 26, 2026 after a period of declining health, at the Otterbein Senior Lifestyles Community in St. Marys, where she had resided for the last few years. She was born on August 24, 1933 in New Bremen, the daughter of the late Paul F. and Pauline D. (Vornholt) Gilberg. On April 4, 1953 she married her high school sweetheart, Duane T. Hartwig, at the former Zion Church in New Bremen, and together they shared 65 wonderful years together before his death on July 16, 2018. Alice is survived by her children: Dean (Kate) Hartwig of New Bremen, Steve (Diana) Hartwig of New Bremen, Jane (Pete) Gariety of Jackson Center, and Barb (Mike) Holdren of New Bremen; her thirteen grandchildren: Jasmine Cottrell, Jeremy (Lisa) Hartwig, Brittany (Gregg) Scheer, Vanessa (Dale Woods, Jr.) Schlater, David (Michaela Hoening) Hartwig, Stephanie (Alan) Fullenkamp, Liz (Jeff) Utz, Becky (Logan) O'Neill, Mark (Megan) Gariety, Mindy (Doug) Pekkanen, Bernard Gariety, Samantha (Ryan) Schmidt, and Martin (Marissa Frazee) Holdren; her thirty-one great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild (with another on the way). Also left to cherish her memory are her siblings: John (Joyce) Gilberg of New Bremen, and Kathryn “Kay” Beel of Westlake, Ohio as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends. Along with her parents and husband, Alice was preceded in death by a son and daughter in-law Douglas (Yvonne) Hartwig, a great-granddaughter Grace Fullenkamp, and her siblings and in-laws: Jane (Albert) Talan, William “Bill” Gilberg, Arthur Beel, and Dick (Dorothy) Hartwig.

Alice was a 1951 graduate of New Bremen High School. She was a long-time member of St. Paul United Church of Christ in New Bremen, where she was a member of various groups through the years, served in the Circle of Friends Ministry, and volunteered in the Blessing Pantry. As an avid reader, Alice was a member of the book club at the New Bremen Library and could often be found reading in her spare time. She also enjoyed bowling for many years, bowling in the lady’s league and on the mom & pops league. She and Duane took up vegetable gardening, had fun at family picnics, and enjoyed many trips to Michigan to go mushroom hunting, but they especially loved to spend time with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, taking an interest in their various activities. She had worked alongside of her family at the Gilberg Furniture store, and also for the former Gagel’s Plumbing in New Bremen, and helped run the former Hotel Bar in New Bremen (as a co-owner with Duane and Dean), and finally retired from the former Schwieterman’s Pharmacy in New Bremen. Alice will be remembered as a sweet woman with a warm smile, for her kind and giving spirit, and of course, for her candy dish of M&M's that never ran out.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. at the St. Paul United Church of Christ in New Bremen, officiated by Rev. David Voll and Rev. Becky Erb Strang. Private family inurnment will take place at a later date in the German Protestant Cemetery of New Bremen. Calling hours will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026 from 4:00 until 7:00 P.M. at the Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home in New Bremen, and again on Saturday (at the church) one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers or gifts the family encourages memorial contributions in memory of Alice be made to The New Bremen Foundation (P.O. Box 97, New Bremen, Ohio, 45869), or to the Grand Lake Hospice Music Therapy Program (1122 E. Spring Street, St. Mays, Ohio 45885). Condolences and memories may be expressed to the Hartwig family through the funeral home website at www.gilberghartwigfh.com.