FREESEMAN, Gordon Lee 1935-1997

FREESEMAN, ARENDS, BOBST

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/21/2009 at 13:38:14

GLOBE GAZETTE - 03/21/1997

Gordon Lee Freeseman

GREENE, IOWA - Funeral services for Gordon Lee Freeseman, 62, of 406 West Iowa St., will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Galen Smith officiating. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Parkersburg. Military graveside rites will be conducted by the Tack Barnett Post #268 American Legion of Greene.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 9 p.m. today at Reid's Funeral Chapel, where the family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. with a public Scripture service at 7:30 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour before services on Saturday at the church.

Gordon Lee Freeseman was born Feb. 16, 1935, in rural Parkersburg, Butler County, a son of William Howard and Evelyn Marguerite (Arends) Freeseman, and died Thursday (March 20, 1997) at Floyd County Memorial Hospital in Charles City.

He received his education in the rural schools near Cedar Falls and Clarksville, then graduated from the Greene High School in 1952. He enlisted in the United States Army on March 3, 1954, serving with Hq Battery 285 Field Artillery. Following his discharge on March 2, 1956, he returned home where he was employed for Oliver Tractor Works in Charles City.

On Nov. 2, 1958, he was united in marriage to Arthena Marlene Bobst at the Unity Presbyterian Church in rural Clarksville.

Gordon and Arthena lived on a farm east of Greene where they farmed and raised cattle. During this time, he hauled milk for the Farmers Cooperative Creamery in Greene. In 1971, they moved into Greene where he held various jobs.

Gordon's life was marked with alcohol abuse in which he overcame by treatment in 1977. Soon after he became Director of the Butler County Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Referral Center in Allison, where he continued until his death. This year would have marked 20 years of dedicated service to the center in which over 1,200 people had been referred for treatment. He has been recognized for his many contributions toward alcoholism treatment and was voted Alumni of the Year at MHI in Independence.

In his youth, he was active in the Boy Scouts and was elected a delegate to Boys State. He was a member of the Tack Barnett Post 268 American Legion of Greene and a member of the Greene City Council where he served a mayor pro-tem.

He had many interests which included fishing, camping, gardening and puttering around in his shop. He was a nature lover, watching the birds and erecting feeders and bird houses for them.

He also had a great love for music and many years played guitar for a band called the Playmates. Most of all, Gordon and Arthena were always together, in work, in play, enjoying and cherishing each other's company.

Living family members include his loving wife, Arthena of Greene; two daughters and their spouses, Terri Lea and Ron Boelts of Wellsburg, Dawn Renae and James McLennan of Alexander; one son, Kevin D. Freeseman of Round Lake Beach, Ill.; seven grandchildren, Tiffany Lee and Melanie, of Round Lake Beach, Ill.; Chelsea Lea and Dillon of Wellsburg; Jamie Lee, Jered and Jordon, of Alexander; three sisters and their spouses, Darlene and Ross Enabnit of Marble Rock, Ima Jean Sellers of Osage, and Evonita and Virgil Dahl of Waterloo; two brothers and their spouses, Glenn Dale ``Butch'' Freeseman of Allison, and Delaine and Jane Freeseman of Charles City; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Those planning an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to the Gordon Lee Freeseman Memorial Fund in care of the family.