Raymond Freeman

Raymond James Freeman, 72, of Grundy Center, passed away on May 3, 2019, at Mercy One Hospital in Waterloo while under the care of Cedar Valley Hospice. A  private inurnment service will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center with military honors. Memorials may be directed to the family to be donated to a cause of their choosing at a later date. Abels Funeral And Cremation Service is taking care of Raymond and his family.

Raymond James Freeman was born on July 6, 1946, in Detroit, Michigan, to his parents Isley D. and Melvina Freeman. He attended school in Port Huron, MI, graduating with the class of 1964. After graduation, Raymond answered the call of his country and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving 4 honorable years, completing 4 tours in Vietnam. He was united in marriage to Shirley Oltman on August 19, 1993, at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center. Raymond worked for the Spokesman Press for 28 years as a pressman.

Raymond was a member of Bethany Presbyterian Church and served on the board of trustees and helped with the janitorial work for a time. He enjoyed sports, cheering on the many teams of Michigan. Raymond also liked watching NASCAR and was a fan of Dale Earnhardt. He cherished the time that he could spend with his family, including his daughters and grandchildren.

Raymond is survived by his wife Shirley Freeman of Grundy Center; daughters Renee (Chris) Hesse of Waterloo, Krystal (Curt) Hanley of Evansdale, and Cari Freeman of Waterloo; 8 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; sister Ann (Duaine) Midgley of Port Huron, MI. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Cathy (Gaylord) Anglebrandt.