Trevor Hartland

Trevor Hartland, 87, of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, passed peacefully into eternal rest on the morning of July 27, 2026, surrounded by loved ones.

Trevor was born on August 31, 1938, in West Bromwich, England, to George Albert and Josephine Hartland. Proud of his English roots throughout his life, Trevor carried with him a deep love for his homeland and the quiet strength of the generation and place that shaped him.

As a young man, Trevor served four years in the Royal Air Force, achieving the rank of corporal. A graduate of the University of Cambridge, where he studied electrical and electronic engineering, he was an avid violin player and was talented enough at football (soccer) that he nearly pursued it professionally. But the life he ultimately built would be defined not only by talent and ambition, but by character, courage, devotion, and hard work.

In 1967, Trevor immigrated to the United States with his beloved wife, Valerie, and their daughters, Diana and Deborah, crossing the Atlantic aboard the SS United States. He brought his young family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he worked at Heppenstall Steel. Four years later, the family moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, where Trevor continued a long and successful career in the steel industry.

He worked for National Forge, which became Erie Forge & Steel, for 22 years, eventually becoming vice president. After his time at “The Forge,” he spent ten years at Werner Co. in Greenville, Pennsylvania, before retiring in 2006.

To those who knew him, Trevor was a pillar of strength. He was admired for his courage, his integrity, his compassion, and his steady ability to face hardship without bitterness. Even through incredibly difficult seasons, Trevor did not live with regret. He looked forward with confidence and hope. He carried himself with quiet dignity, and his family will forever remember the way he met adversity with resolve, grace, and unwavering character.

Trevor loved the sea. As long as he was by the water, he was happy. After retiring to coastal South Carolina in 2006, he became a Master Gardener and volunteered at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet. He found great joy in gardening, music, indulging his insatiable sweet tooth, cruising, and spending time with his wife MaryJo at “the Marsh” in Murrells Inlet.

His love for MaryJo was one of the great joys of his later life, steady, tender, and unwavering. He was happiest beside her, especially at the Marsh, where they watched the boats pass, the tides change, and the days gently unfold together.

For Trevor, the sea was always a place of peace. Whether crossing the Atlantic aboard "America's Flagship," the SS United States, cruising on the open seas with those he loved, or simply being near the water, he found joy wherever water met the horizon. His family takes comfort in knowing that a man who so deeply loved the earthly oceans has now reached God’s celestial shore, where every burden is lifted, joy is unending, and he is at peace.

Faith was a quiet but steady part of Trevor’s life. He did not need to make a show of it. His faith was reflected in the way he lived: with loyalty, humility, strength, and love.

Above all else, Trevor loved his family fiercely. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. His love for his children and grandchildren was constant and unmistakable. Those who loved him will forever treasure the things that made Trevor so distinctly Trevor: his voice, his stories, his unmistakable British accent, his quiet strength, his love of tea and sweets, his loyalty to Pittsburgh sports teams and West Bromwich Albion F.C., and the steady presence that made those around him feel safe and loved.

Trevor is survived by his cherished wife of 22 years, MaryJo; his children, Diana Pytlarz and her husband John, Deborah Hartland-Grasso and her husband Gerald, David Hartland and his wife Danielle; and his stepchildren, Joette Brunecz, Christopher Brunecz and his wife Brianna, and Danielle Woods and her husband Josh.

He is also survived by 14 grandchildren: Sara, Miranda, Cordelia, Spencer, Sheffield, Daxton, Reilly, Connor, Olivia, Emily, Jack, Cole, Kate, and Ty; and by 10 great-grandchildren.

Trevor was preceded in death by his treasured first wife of 34 years and the mother of his children, Valerie; his second wife of six years, Patricia; his grandson, Sebastian; his sister, Audrey Dicken; and his parents, George and Josephine Hartland.

A celebration of Trevor’s life will take place in Pennsylvania on a future date.

Those who knew and loved Trevor are invited to share memories, condolences, and tributes through Burroughs Funeral Home at https://www.burroughsfh.com/.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the SS United States Conservancy in honor of Trevor’s lifelong love of the sea and in remembrance of the ship that carried him and his family from Britain to America in 1967. Contributions will go to support the Conservancy’s work that will preserve the ship’s legacy, including the development of the future SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience. Those wishing to donate may do so via https://l.ead.me/Hartland, or by mail: SS United States Conservancy at P.O. Box 43, 720 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19105.

Trevor’s life was marked by strength, courage, devotion, and hope. His legacy is found in the family he loved so deeply, in the lives he helped shape, and in the steady, faithful example that will remain with them always.

Burroughs Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Murrells Inlet (843.651.1440) is in charge of arrangements.