Obituary of Mary A Freeman

Mary A. Freeman, passed away Friday morning, March 27, 2015. She was 92. Born in Oelwein, Iowa, in 1923, the daughter of Herbert M. and Florence M. (Fuller) Wetlaufer, she graduated from Oelwein High School and attended Iowa State University, of whom, in her last years especially, was a loyal fan. At the beginning of World War II, she traveled by train to the West Coast, where in 1943 she married the love of her life, Edward Michael “Mike or Doc” Freeman. She worked for a time in the shipyards building Liberty Ships. After the war, Mike returned from Asia and resumed his study of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State. After his graduation, he, Mary and a growing family moved back to Oelwein, where (now Doc) was a vet for many years. In all they had six kids: Michael, Timothy, Patricia, Mary Beth, Paige and Herbert, along with lots of dogs, cats, ponies and horses. Every summer the family happily crammed themselves into the old Ford station wagon for the trip to Long Lake, near Park Rapids, MN, where Mary’s father had built a cabin in the early years of the century. While living in Oelwein, Mary was employed by Job Service of Iowa as a job qualification specialist, and was active in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. After Mike retired from veterinary practice in 1985, he and Mary realized a dream by building a new home on Long Lake. There they enjoyed a long and blissful retirement. Mary loved flowers and music, and volunteered in many community organizations in Park Rapids and Trinity Episcopal Church of which she was a very active member. Mary hosted many wonderful diner parties for friends and family, and loved visits from her children and grandchildren: the house on Long Lake had a separate bunk house for the grandkids. In 2009, Mary moved to Newton to be closer to youngest son Herbert and his wife Phyllis. She joined St. Stephen’s Episcopal and sang in the choir. For her 90th birthday, she sang a solo at St. Stephen’s which, she allowed “was OK, but the rehearsal was better.” She kept her sweet uplifting spirit all through her life, loved children and remained a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable, some might even say shrewd and thrifty shopper. Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Mike in 2009; a great-grandson Nick; her brothers: Gerald, Frederick, and Donald; and a sister Maude Palmer. Those left to honor Mary’s memory include her six children: Michael and Carol Freeman, Tim and Mary Freeman, Patricia and Bob Waidler, Mary Beth Freeman, Paige and Bob Wharram and Herbert and Phyllis Freeman; her ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren; brother Roger Wetlaufer; and many friends. Funeral services for Mary will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 7, 2015, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Newton. Deacon Merle Smith and Rev. Karen Crawford, of St. Stephen’s, are conducting the services. Pence~Reese Funeral Home in Newton, has been entrusted with the arrangements. A time of fellowship and lunch with the family will follow the services. In lieu of flowers memorials may be designated to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Newton or Trinity Episcopal Church in Park Rapids. Burial will be in Park Rapids, MN, sometime after the ice is out…or maybe, “at a later date.’