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Obituary: Susan Harger Hartford / Work reached millions through TV, parks and museums

Obituary: Susan Harger Hartford / Work reached millions through TV, parks and museums

Oct. 19, 1954 - Jan. 5, 2020

If you’ve ever watched television or visited a national monument, park or museum, chances are you’ve heard the work of Susan Hartford.

An award-winning jingle writer, audio engineer, composer, narrator and sound editor, Mrs. Hartford had a hand in creating music and sound effects for films, television, commercials and even the White House Visitor Center.

“Millions of people have heard her work,” said Peter Argentine, producer and owner of Argentine Productions. “She could've worked anywhere, but she was really rooted here in Pittsburgh. There’s a long, long list of her projects all over the country.”

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Mrs. Hartford, 65, of Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, died Jan. 5 after a four-year struggle with colon cancer.

She grew up in Sewickley, graduating as salutatorian of the Quaker Valley High School class of 1972.

Even as a child, her musical inclination was obvious, said her husband Kevin Hartford.

“She always loved music,” he said. “She came from a very musical family and both of her grandparents played and wrote music.”

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Mrs. Hartford learned piano as a young child and later played French horn and bass clarinet in high school.

She went on to the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, where she graduated magna cum laude in 1976, intending to pursue a career as a music teacher and band director.

But, once she accepted a job at Pittsburgh’s Albitz Studios, where she wrote and produced television and radio ads, Mrs. Hartford found the hands-on experience more fulfilling, her husband said.

By 1985, Mrs. Hartford was appointed audio director for Production Masters Inc., where her career began to soar.

“Working at PMI exposed her to major clients and bigger companies,” said her husband, a singer and model who met his wife when she was working at the local firm. It was love at first sight for him.

“We actually met on March 4, 1986,” he recalled. “This little voice inside my head started screaming at me,’ “This is your wife! This is your wife!” ‘It was a very surreal experience.”

The couple married in December 1986.

Over time, Mrs. Hartford found a wider audience and earned two Clio Awards — the advertising industry’s equivalent to an Oscar — for a dog food ad campaign and a public service announcement for Carnegie Museums.

In 2000, Mrs. Hartford composed six pieces of music — including four original songs — for the film “The Bread My Sweet,” that was filmed in Pittsburgh.

Her work was recognized by critics and in industry trade publications, her husband said.

“She loved that type of work — absolutely loved it — and she was very good at it,” Mr. Hartford said. “For about 25 years, she was probably the most sought-after TV and radio producer and audio engineer.”

Mrs. Hartford worked for several other production companies until 2012, when she started her own business.

Four days before her death, she completed work on “Florissant,” a project being developed by Mr. Argentine’s firm for the eponymous national monument in Colorado.

“She was determined and conscientious,” said Mr. Argentine, who worked with Mrs. Hartford for more than 25 years on his various productions for parks and museums. “I hope that working on our last project brought her comfort and fulfillment.”

The level of expertise and nuance that she brought to each project would be difficult to replicate, said Mr. Argentine.

For example, Mrs. Hartford knew to use only native birdsong for specific regions and she understood the difference between the sound of a flintlock and a rifle report.

“She was so attuned to every detail,” he said.

From 2003 to 2009, Mrs. Hartford served on the Kiski Area School Board, and she was a member of St. Margaret Mary Church in Lower Burrell, where she played in the bell choir.

Even when she had to wear a chemo pump, his wife still enjoyed her long walks with Deacon, the family’s 7-year-old Golden Retriever, Mr. Hartford said.

“He was by her side the whole time, through all of her chemo treatments,” he said. “He adored Sue.”

Mr. Hartford said he will cherish the memories he had with his wife, including dinners every Sunday with their extended family and the unforgettable trip they took to Italy last year.

“That was her dream trip,” he said.

Her son Christian Hartford, of Torrance, Calif., said he will always remember his mother’s forbearance and implacable determination during her illness.

“That was probably the most stoic I’ve ever seen any person,” he said. “She never complained. She was not afraid to live her life and she was not afraid of death. She taught me a lot.”

Her son Matt Hartford, of the North Side, is thankful that he got to dance with his mother at his engagement party in late December.

“She carpe’d every diem,” he said. “She could barely walk at my engagement party but she danced with me to Michael Buble’s song ‘Forever Now.’ She whispered into my ear the song lyric, “‘I’m forever proud of you.’ And it was one of the best moments I ever had.”

Along with her husband and sons, Mrs. Hartford is survived by her brothers George, of Greensboro, N.C., Jim, of New Kensington, David, of Monongahela, and sister Pat Wiedmann, of Annapolis, Md.

Her funeral was Thursday.

Memorial donations are suggested to Hillman Cancer Center.

Janice Crompton: jcrompton@post-gazette.com.

First Published: January 12, 2020, 12:39 a.m.

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