Michael Allen 'Bones' Hartzell (1947 - 2018)

Michael Allen "Bones" Hartzell was born in St. Paul on February 22, 1947, to Eugene and Delores Hartzell. He grew up just a few blocks from Rice Street in a small house on Cottage Avenue and graduated from nearby Washington High School in 1965. He was nicknamed "Bones" on the playground at Sylvan Recreation Center because of his skinniness.

After graduation, Hartzell joined the Army and served in Korea during the Vietnam War. After being discharged, he returned home. In 1977, "Bones" moved out of his parent's house. Hartzell moved to the sidewalks of Rice Street and lived there for the rest of his life. The choice he made, however unconventional according to the standards of the outside world, was his own.

He soon became the neighborhood caretaker, traveling up and down Rice Street with a push broom, shears, shovels, rakes, plastic bags, and cleaning supplies. "Bones" maintained local sidewalks and business entryways with pride and precision. But he did more than simply sweep and pull weeds. "Bones" kept up with the goings-on in the neighborhood. The Rice Street community — the people and businesses in it — mattered to him.

"Bones" was an integral part of life on Rice Street. People who walked, rode, or drove by saw him every day. Outsiders looked at a homeless man — a bum, but the neighborhood viewed things differently. They saw a man who cared about their home and was doing what he could to help improve it.

During the day, people found him hard at work, meticulously grooming the sidewalks of the place he called home. Most nights, "Bones" could be found laying on those same sidewalks – in a sleeping bag or under blankets – along Rice Street, often underneath a local business' awning. His dogs, bicycle, wagon, and wheelbarrow of belongings were nearby. It was this way for over four decades.

He never looked for handouts, always trying to earn his keep, whether for a cold beer, a hot meal, or a place to sleep on the coldest Minnesota nights. Often, when people brought him a plate of food, he made sure his dogs ate first.

That's not to say his life wasn't difficult. Although quick to conversation whenever approached, "Bones” spoke very little about his time in the service. Local sports, however, were a different animal altogether. He loved to talk about sports. Hartzell was an encyclopedia of sports knowledge — especially when it came to the Minnesota Twins.

His lifestyle occasionally brought him trouble. In 1989 he was assaulted while sleeping on some milk crates at a Super America. The man who beat him dismissed him as a bum. On multiple occasions, his dogs were taken from him. Some, including St. Paul officials, felt he was ill-equipped to care for a companion animal while living on the street.

There were good times as well. In February 2017, two state lawmakers, Senator Foung Hawj and Representative John Lesch, read a proclamation at Lonetti's Lounge on Rice Street to honor him during his 70th birthday celebration.

"Bones" was deserving of the honor. He was beloved up and down Rice Street — considered an extended family member by many in the area. Hartzell was universally appreciated and respected, part of what made the neighborhood special, at the very least, part of what made it unique.

On December 2, 2018, "Bones," after suffering from lung cancer and pneumonia for some time, passed away while in hospice care. He was 71. The community showed up in droves to say goodbye. An estimated six-hundred people came to Bradshaw Funeral Home on Rice Street to pay their respects during his eight-hour-long funeral.

He is buried at Fort Snelling Cemetery.

“Bones” discovered his purpose on the sidewalks of Rice Street. His life was a mystery, but he lived it the way he wanted.