Annabel Hartman left lasting impact on the YMCA and Southside community

North Gym dedication honors founding member

On Wednesday, April 19, the Baxter YMCA staff will honor one of its founding members be doing a gym dedication in her memory. The ceremony will take place from 3:45-4:45 pm, during which time, open gym will be canceled.

Annabel Jane Spangle Hartman, 101, Indianapolis, died December 30, 2016. Annabel was born November 30, 1915 in Milford IL, the only child of Eldo M. and Gertrude Bingham Spangle. The family moved to Danville IL and then Ft. Lauderdale FL.  Annabel attended Tennessee Wesleyan College. In 1990 she was recognized as its Distinguished Alumna of the Year. Annabel then graduated from American University, Washington D.C. as a religion major and began a career as Christian educator in the Methodist Church.  At A.U. she met Grover L. Hartman and they were married September 14, 1942.  They enjoyed 46 years of marriage. Grover died November 13, 1988.

 

The couple moved to Indianapolis in 1946 to pursue ecumenical ministry and Annabel served as a leader with Church Women United, the Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis, and walked in or sponsored every Indianapolis Church World Service CROP Hunger Walk since the first in 1980.  Annabel was a founding member of the Baxter Branch YMCA, tirelessly raised funds for the Invest in Youth Campaign and was an inspiration in the Active Older Adults program. Annabel’s vibrant Christian faith was at the center of her life, always active in the United Methodist Church.  

She was for 50 years a member of Center United Methodist Church and for her last 6 years at North United Methodist Church.  Central to her Christian faith was a commitment to peace and social justice.  She lived this out through support of organizations such as Fellowship of Reconciliation (member 73 years), Methodist Federation of Social Action, UNICEF, American Field Service, Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center, Women in Black, and board member of the H.C. Gemmer Family Christian Foundation. In 1984-1985 Annabel was the Indianapolis co-chair of the Peace Ribbon, gathering 650 cloth panels depicting what we would lose in nuclear war.

She took these to Washington D.C. and joining with many others surrounded the Pentagon with the peace ribbon. Annabel’s later career was in public education.  In 1968 she began substitute teaching in Indianapolis Public Schools, did student teaching at School #22, and began her career in adult education.  For 15 years she taught Adult Basic Education at the Indianapolis Day Adult High School first located at Wood, then Tech and finally Attucks High Schools.  Annabel received her Masters in Adult Education from Ball State University at age 62.

Annabel poured out her love in so many ways.  First to her family as devoted wife and partner to husband Grover, caring mother to four sons and grandmother to six grandchildren. She lived values of peace, respect, appreciation for diversity, the power of the Spirit, stewardship of creation, and concern for the poor, weak, needy and outcast.  She was known for her deep faith, hospitality, great cooking, and her motherly love that extended far beyond her own family.  In 2002 Annabel moved to Robin Run Retirement Village where she continued to share her gifts and became a beloved member of that community.
For more on Annabel, check out this article from the Southside Times.

We are honored to do a gym dedication in Annabel’s honor.