Livermore

Charles Martin Hartwig, father, grandfather, scientist, athlete, and civic volunteer, passed away peacefully at home in Livermore in February 2025. Friends and fans are invited to a Celebration of Life at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Livermore on Saturday, June 21 at 2:00 PDT.

Chuck, as he was known to many, was ason of the West. Born in 1941 in Thermopolis, Wyoming, he was the third child of Myrtle and Adolph (Dutch) Hartwig. He had two older sisters, Sally and Gretchen, and a younger brother, Robert. Chuck loved his family deeply, and wrote weekly letters to his mother until she passed.

Chuck grew up in the town of Sheridan, Wyoming on the high plains at the foot of the Bighorn mountains, near the Montana border. An active youth, Chuck followed in his father’s footsteps as an outstanding, multi-sport athlete. Football was his primary sport, and he was named an all-state lineman. Chuck was also an excellent student, securing the opportunity to attend Stanford University on a General Motors scholarship.

At Stanford, Chuck’s technical and scientific acuity motivated him to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering. And of course, his passion for football continued, playing both offense and defense. Chuck was voted the most inspirational player in 1963, and picked up the nickname “the Wall” for his fierce defense. Chuck’s affinity for the team and school would last his lifetime - for many years it was a rare fall Saturday that Chuck wasn’t cheering on the Farm at Stanford Stadium.

It was also at Stanford that Chuck met the love of his life, Doris Kathrin (“Rin”) Allred. After graduating, the pair moved to Los Angeles, where Chuck worked in the aerospace industry at Lockheed Martin, and managed a ground station in White Sands, NM. Graduate studies at the University of Southern California followed. Chuck studied under an NDEA fellowship, earning a Ph.D in physics and electrical engineering.

During that time Charles and Rin were married, and in late 1969 welcomed their first child, a son named Gunthar. In 1971, with the baby loaded into their new station wagon, they moved to Livermore. Chuck had taken a job as a research scientist at Sandia National Laboratories, where he was eager to conduct cutting-edge research. In 1972, having just purchased a house in a neighborhood cycling distance from the lab, their daughter Johanna joined the family.

Chuck spent 35 years at Sandia, where he was a highly respected scientist, lead, and manager across a range of projects in applied mechanics, combustion research, hydrogen as an energy source, and more. He was a science lead on the Accelerated Strategic Computing initiative, which maintained some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. For these efforts, Chuck was named a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff. Post retirement, he continued his involvement with Sandia, providing leadership on special projects, participating in Ph.D. recruiting, and serving as a fellow on the California Council on Science and Technology.

Sandia’s generous vacation allowance was a boon for the road-trip loving Chuck.

Many a summer adventure was enjoyed crisscrossing the West, with the ultimate goal of visiting family in Wyoming. On these trips, Chuck shared his love of the outdoors with his family, camping and hiking across the Southwest, Rocky mountains, and as far as the Mississippi River. Winters would find the family in the Sierra mountains, where he became an avid cross-country skier.

Through his entire adult life, Charles was actively engaged in the local community, as a member and leader in a diverse set of organizations. His beloved parents had set the model for this civic dedication. Chuck was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Livermore for over 50 years, serving as President of the Board on multiple occasions and singing in the choir with great enthusiasm. He served as President of the lunchtime Livermore Rotary Club, as well as Chair of the Rotarian foundation, helping drive their purpose of fellowship and good works in Livermore and throughout the world. Chuck actively promoted the arts in the Livermore area, serving for decades on the boards of Del Valle Fine Arts, Pacific Chamber Symphony, the Livermore Commission for the Arts, the Livermore Cultural Arts Council, and the Roe Dorough Speaker series, of which he was a co-founder. Chuck was one of the key civic members who advocated for the establishment of the Bankhead Theater. He also kept up his love of youth sports through serving on the Livermore-Granada Boosters, while his kids were in high school and for many years after.

Chuck and Khabira (formerly Rin) maintained a close circle of friends, and were known for their annual Livermore Rodeo barbeque. And while you might take the boy out of Wyoming, you can’t take the love of Wyoming out of the boy. After retirement, Chuck and Khabira purchased a house in Story, Wyoming not far from Sheridan. They spent many summers at “Hartspring,” hosting friends and family amidst the pines at the foot of the mountains. Retirement also offered the opportunity to travel. Many a fine pastry was consumed by the sweets-loving Chuck in journeys across Europe and around the Mediterranean.

And always, no matter where or when, you could count on Chuck to greet you with an enormous smile and a robust “howdy!” Chuck was an optimistic, positive and cheerful guy. He loved to tell jokes, and seemed to have an endless store of them.

On behalf of Chuck, his family offers gratitude to the many, many people who enriched his life over the years through their friendship and shared activities.

Chuck is loved and missed tremendously by his surviving family, including his wife Khabira; son Gunthar; daughter Johanna; grandchildren Montserrat, Beorn, Nico, Asa and Aviva; brother Robert; and many other beloved relatives.

A Celebration of Life and dessert reception will be held on Saturday, June 21 at 2:00 PDT at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Livermore (1893 N. Vasco Road). The program will also be streamed via Zoom. For questions or to receive the Zoom link, please contact johanna.hartwig@gmail.com or 510-915-2900.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made as Tribute Gifts in Chuck’s name to the Livermore Valley Arts Foundation (https://livermorearts.org/support-the-arts/ or checks to LVA Dev. Office, 2400 First Street, Livermore, CA 94550).