Vicki Lesa Hartmetz, age 68, resident of Fort Scott, KS died Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at her home. She was born to Keith and Nancy (nee Summers) Wilcox, September1, 1955 in Dodge City, KS. Her family moved to Liberal, KS., early in her childhood, and attended school there through high school graduation. She was active in the International Order of Rainbow for Girls, a
Masonic order; and sang in choirs and Madrigals in high school.
After graduating from Court Reporting School, in Topeka, KS., she moved to Denver, CO., and worked for the Denver Police
Dept. Homicide Unit Reporting Detective witness interviews. In late 1978 she was hired to serve as an Official Court Reporter for the Kansas Judicial system in Sedgwick County, KS., where
she met her future husband, Bruce Hartmetz, who was serving as a Sedgwick County Deputy Sheriff. After a brief courtship, they were married in Wichita, KS., July 21, 1979.
In 1989 she moved to the Denver Metropolitan area where she worked both as a Freelance Reporter and an Official Court Reporter for the State of Colorado. Vicki loved taking photographs of her husband, children, and most anything else that caught her eye.
When her children started playing organized sports, she became a rabid fan particularly of soccer and baseball. It was a rare
event for her to miss either one of her son’s ball games.
She loved travelling through the Rocky Mountains, staying in Estes Park or Glennwood Springs. She loved “adopting” neighborhood
feral cats by insisting Bruce feed and water them at least once a day regardless of weather.
In 2017 she got an opportunity to work for the State of Kansas Judicial System. She termed the move a ‘no-brainer’ as she would be 30 minutes from five of her grandchildren rather than 650
miles. She worked for the State of Kansas until she retired in April 2024.
Vicki was proceeded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Bruce; sons, Noah Clark Hartmetz, and Luke Merritt Hartmetz; six grandchildren; one step-grandchild; and
three step-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Chuck Wilcox, and George Wilcox; one sister, Carol Leaming; their spouses; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Thursday, July 25 th , at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:00 AM until
service time at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Vicki Hartmetz Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.