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We celebrate the life of Devon Hartman
A trusted advisor of Pando Populus best known as the founding head of the Community Home Energy Retrofit Project (CHERP). Devon had a mission. He wanted to improve the lives of the people around him.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri to Dorothy Wilkes (Bowers) and James Hartman, he grew up in Wichita Kansas as the oldest of four brothers.
After losing his two of his best friends to the war in Vietnam, he began his lifelong journey. He dropped out of college in 1969 and had moved to Hollywood and helped initiate and run houses for youths who were at risk. He had also ran a house in for youth in Colorado Springs and would assist in teaching classes with a local pastor, Don Williams, whom was also helped him in the spiritual transformation of his life.
Around the mid-70s, Devon had decided continue his education, attending Pitzer College to study French and Psychology to which granted him the opportunity to study abroad where the director of the French program, Claude de Chérisey, had invited him to help his brother Bertrand to help restore a section of the Chérisey Chateau in Burgundy. This opportunity had enlightened Devon to the wonders architecture and about the importance of beauty, art, and culture.
Upon his return from France, he began his study of architecture and continued apprenticing with the finest builders. Together with close friend Bill Baldwin, he co-founded HartmanBaldwin Design/Build, providing large-scale remodels and historic restorations to homes and estates in the greater Los Angeles area. His time in France inspired him in the preservation of historical landmarks, to which his company with Baldwin focused on protecting the unique charm of Claremont.
Around the early 2000s, Devon had a revelation to the inefficiencies of the residential buildings and how it was designed only beauty in mind. It was then in 2010 where he began CHERP to eliminate barriers preventing the people to meet national and local energy-efficiency goals and help reduce the effects of human-driven climate change through education and community driven engagement.
As his journey was coming towards a close, he was had enjoyed his favorite comfort food, his favorite latte, and taking a walk.
“Not even cancer could keep Devon from living life to its fullest on his terms,” his family shared.
On February 18th, 2024, Devon had passed from this world. In his final moments, he was surrounded and embraced by his loving family members, his wife and his daughters.
He was very grateful to his mentors, pastor Don Williams, Claude de Chérisey, Chief Oren Lyons, Jeff Welch, and John Cobb. He also often shared how incredibly thankful he was for the support and life lessons learned from his wife, Mary, and his daughters, Meghan and Emily.
He is survived by his legacies with his HartmanBaldwin and CHERP families. But most of all, he is survived by his loving wife Mary Beierle; daughters Meghan Beierle-O’Brien (John Rauschelbach), and Emily Beierle-O’Brien; grandsons Hendrix Rauschelbach and Liam Furnivall; and brothers Keck and Grant Hartman.
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