Ocean City’s downtown, and the entire city is mourning one of its leading icons following the passing last Wednesday of 90-year-old June Hartzell.
June (nee Anderson) lived at The Shores at Wesley Manor at the time of her passing, but was much better known for her days living near Ocean City’s Asbury Avenue shopping district.
“Her late husband, Paul, used to say that she had a Black Belt in shopping,” joked longtime friend Becky Green Friedel. “She spent her days walking the Avenue and was well-known to all the shop owners and patrons.”
Typical of the shops was Curlies Cutting Crew, where Rosemary Kane called June “such a beautiful woman. She was always so nice to everyone. I loved doing her hair.”
A native Philadelphian, June was the mother of Ocean City Councilman Keith Hartzell. But she was well known in her own right.
“She had an amazing sense of fashion and was always dressed to the nines,” Friedel told OCNJ Daily. “The first thing she did every day was get herself together and she always looked amazing.”
In addition to shopping on Asbury, she would almost always eat at one of the local restaurants. She was a regular at Yianni’s and Ready’s. At Yianni’s employee Trish Rivenbark said “she used to come in every day, but she was less frequent after she moved to The Shores. Since then Keith brought her in whenever he could. She always looked like a million dollars. Even in the bad weather…you could tell that she would not leave the house unless everything was perfect. She often spoke about her cat, who could not do anything wrong.
At Ready’s Doug Wing, Helen Libro, and Jan Hartman all spoke to OCNJDaily. Doug said that she always had a nice smile. She used to enjoy her milkshakes. Keith used to talk her into drinking them to keep her weight up. Helen Libro said ” I remember when she used to come in with her husband, she used to get one egg poached with a dry English muffin, with the butter in the side, she also liked the orange marmalade. She always preferred drinking her coffee in this little cup, she was so dainty. Jan Hartman added that “she also liked scrapple”. Doug remembered bringing her a milkshake at the Shores one time. He said that she seemed to have a nice life. The three of them emphasized how much she loved her husband, Paul. She would often talk about him after he had passed away.
“She worked for many years in the Council Rock (Pennsylvania) school district in the Home Economics class as a teacher’s aide,” Friedel said. “That was kind of funny because she virtually never cooked. According to her son, “Rice-a-Roni and Hamburger Helper were her Godsends.”
A former administrative assistant for U.S. News and World Report magazine in Washington D.C., Mrs. Hartzell facilitated interviews and visits for local politicians and community leaders. She was at ease working with the rich, famous and powerful, and particularly remembered fondly working with former United States Secretary of State and diplomat Dr. Henry Kissenger.
“She handled all the arrangements and guided the interview subjects through the process,” Friedel added.
She and her son, members of the congregation at Coastal Christian Church, were frequently seen attending services. She was also an avid Biblical scholar and attended Bible Study regularly.
She also had a big fan in Bob Marzulli, Commander of the Ocean City American Legion. “She was one of the sweetest women I ever met,” Marzulli said. She regularly came in here and supported our dinners. It was always nice to see her and it was easy to see what a tremendous son Keith was to her.”
June was predeceased by her husband, E. Paul Hartzell. In addition to Keith Hartzell, she is survived by a daughter, Debra Simmonds who is a health care professional associated with the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Philadelphia, PA, granddaughter, Sarah May Simmonds who is an elementary school teacher with the Philadelphia School District. and great granddaughter, Merin Joy Simmonds.
Funeral services are set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Godfrey Funeral Home, 809 Central Avenue, Ocean City, NJ. Friends may call from 9 a.m. until the service. The Burial will follow in Atlantic County Veterans Cemetery, Estell Manor, NJ.
Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to either the American Legion, Morvay-Miley Post 624, PO Box 363, Ocean City, NJ 08226 or the VFW Post 6650, 1501 Bay Avenue, Ocean City, NJ 08226.
Friends may leave messages of condolence to the family by visiting www.godfreyfuneralhome.com
