Funeral services for Raymond P. “Ray” Hartmann, journalist, media publisher and community leader, will be held on Wednesday, April 29 at 12 p.m. (noon) at Temple Israel, 1 Alvan D. Rubin Drive. Hartmann died suddenly and tragically on April 23 in an automobile crash on Interstate 64.
Hartmann was widely known in St. Louis as the founder of the Riverfront Times, which he launched in the 1970s and helped shape into one of the city’s most influential alternative publications. He later revived St. Louis Magazine, where he served as publisher and columnist for years.
Beyond print, Hartmann became a familiar presence to many viewers as a panelist on Nine PBS’ “Donnybrook,” where his commentary and perspective helped define the program’s tone for decades.
His career in journalism spanned more than four decades and often placed him at the center of the region’s civic and political conversations. Known for his strong opinions and willingness to challenge local institutions, Hartmann built a reputation as both a critic and a champion of St. Louis.
In 2024, he entered the Democratic primary for Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District, bringing his media voice into the political arena. He won the primary but later lost to incumbent Republican Congresswoman Ann Wagner. After that race, he shifted into work as a fundraising consultant for nonprofit organizations and later began a substack.
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His ties to the Jewish community
Hartmann also had longstanding ties to St. Louis’ Jewish community, where he appeared frequently in the pages of the Jewish Light over multiple decades.
In a 1992 profile in the Jewish Light, Hartmann described his identity by saying, “I am a hybrid in respect to being Jewish,” while noting that much of his family was affected by the Holocaust.
He was also active in Jewish civic life, including being honored at an American Jewish Congress event in St. Louis in the 1990s, and contributing to community discussions in the Jewish Light’s opinion pages.
Hartmann is survived by his wife, Kerri, and their children, Benjamin and Brielle, and countless friends.
Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions preferred to Congregation Temple Israel, Paraquad, or APA St. Louis.
