Betty V. Hartman, age 85, of Whiteford, Maryland where she resided with her daughter Denise (Brian), passed away suddenly on Thursday, May 14, 2026. She was born on June 17, 1940 in Madonna, MD to the late Richard Lee Houck and Helen Mae (Johnson) Houck. Betty was blessed to have had five children with her first husband, John R. Glassman Sr. She later married her friend, the late John F. Hartman who blessed her again by bringing his three grown children and their families into her life.

Betty was spirited and adventurous as a child. She loved running around the farm with her younger sister, sometimes falling out of trees and even windows, she was no stranger to getting into mischief. She described to her children that she fell on her head from a second story window while trying to hang upside down, which she neglected to share with her parents but admitted that she probably knocked herself silly.

Betty retired from Westinghouse/Northrup Grumman in 1999 after many years of dedicated service. She was an exceptionally gifted seamstress and quilter. She dedicated her time to her craft, creating beautifully stitched patchwork quilts that brought warmth and comfort to her family and friends. Each quilt she made was a labor of love, carefully stitched with patience and skill. Her sewing room was a place of inspiration, filled with colorful fabrics, spools of thread, and the steady hum of her sewing machine. She continued sewing up until her final day.

Betty possessed an unquenchable curiosity and a true passion for wandering the backroads. Whether traveling alone or sharing the passenger seat with family and friends, she believed that any winding road was an invitation to a new destination. She enjoyed the adventure, be it in the car with the kids in the 60’s or on her motorcycle as Honda Harriet in the 70’s. She loved to camp with her grandchildren in the 90’s and go on adventures with her husband, her siblings and even her children after the turn of the century. When there was an opportunity to take the road less traveled, she took it.

Following her retirement, Betty and her husband, John, embarked on a grand, years-long mission: documenting every covered bridge in Pennsylvania. Together, they tracked down over 200 historic bridges, turning a shared love for travel into a beautiful, lasting record of their time together. As technology evolved, Betty traded her paper maps for a GPS. She faithfully followed the commands of her device's British female voice, even when those directions led her down narrow paths that looked more like cattle trails than actual roads. In moments where turning around became precarious, she simply embraced it as a grand adventure although there may have been some words spoken that we will not repeat here. in the last few years of her life while she let others do the driving, she enjoyed the view from the passenger seat, even if it was just to a new thrift store. If there was a fabric store, she was sure to stop and pick up an extra yard or six of material (it is a seamstress’s addiction you know). Her health slowed her down, but her love for the journey itself defined how she lived her life. Now she is free to fly and discover new realms.

Betty stayed connected to her North Harford High School graduating class, attending yearly luncheons and events. Betty and her classmates share a beautiful and increasingly rare bond. Staying connected over the years, especially as numbers dwindle, is a powerful testament to their loyalty and friendship.

She was preceded in death by her son, R. Allen Glassman; her son-in-law, Stephen Conneally; her brother-in-law, George “Sonny” Zahner; sister, Venita Sue Houck and first husband John Glassman, Sr.

Betty is survived by her loving children, John (Lenore) Glassman, Jr., Carol (Dan) Haga, Donna Conneally, and Denise (Brian) Ralph; her sisters, Donna Zahner and Juanita (Chuck) Eichelberger, her brother, Freddie Lee (Donna) Houck; step children with John Hartman, Ginny (Terry) Schneider, Eric (Colleen) Hartman, Alan and his predeceased wife Liz Hartman, cherished grandchildren: Jennifer, Amanda, Daniel, Matthew, Kate, Hubert, Justin, Ryan, Kayla, Brandon, Bryce, and Wyatt, with twenty-two great-grandchildren, cherished step-children: Terry, Crystal, Ashley, Kelsey, with 7 great-grandchildren, extended family members, and friends.

She will be greatly missed.

Flowers are warmly welcomed. However, if you would prefer to give in honor of Betty's passion for genealogy and history, memorial contributions may be made to the Historical Society of Harford County.