Dennis Lester Freeman
March 2, 1939 - May 31, 2020
Obituary
Dennis Lester Freeman, 81, of Stratford, Iowa died from complications of chronic kidney disease on Sunday, May 31, 2020 at Stratford Specialty Care in Stratford.
Born on March 2, 1939, in Paton, Dennis grew up in Gowrie and moved with his family to Spirit Lake to attend high school and play football. After attending Gustavus Adolphus College, he worked on the campus and was married on June 21, 1962, to Mary Lou Hawkinson, in Christ Chapel.
Dennis and Mary Lou first settled in Des Moines, on Kingman Circle, where their first two children were born. Then in 1966, they moved to Storm Lake, where they had two more children and raised their family. In 1968, Dennis was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives representing Buena Vista County and served with his father, Lester, who represented Dickinson County. Dennis was reelected two times before stepping back from political life in 1974.
In Storm Lake, Dennis opened Freeman Financial Services and made sure all the school teachers in Storm Lake had big calendars for their classrooms every year. He remained active in the Republican Party and many community activities. Dennis enjoyed the Fourth of July Celebrations in Storm Lake and hosting numerous politicians on the front porch. Along with others from the Storm Lake High Noon Kiwanis Club, he helped create the Storm Lake Basketball Jamboree as well as the Field of Dream Sports Complex. He was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.
In 1999, he moved to Ames and put out the Freeman Financial Services shingle there. He married Janice Peterson. He remained active in the Republican Party.
In 2017, he moved back to Spirit Lake for a short period of time and has since been residing is the wonderful care facilities in Gowrie and Stratford for the past three years.
Dennis is preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Leona Freeman, and his brother and sister-in-law, DeVere and Lois Freeman; and his first wife, Mary Lou Freeman. He is survived by his four children and their spouses, Mark (Chris) Freeman of Lititz, PA; Sara (John) Rek ow of Chaska, MN; Cary (Todd) Friedrich of Alta, IA; and Maret (Edmund Ashley) Freeman of Portland, ME; 10 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and his ex-wife Janice Peterson.
Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, a celebration of Dennis’ life will be held at a later date. To honor his memory, donations can be sent to Stratford Specialty Care in his name.
March 2, 1939 - May 31, 2020
Obituary
Dennis Lester Freeman, 81, of Stratford, Iowa died from complications of chronic kidney disease on Sunday, May 31, 2020 at Stratford Specialty Care in Stratford.
Born on March 2, 1939, in Paton, Dennis grew up in Gowrie and moved with his family to Spirit Lake to attend high school and play football. After attending Gustavus Adolphus College, he worked on the campus and was married on June 21, 1962, to Mary Lou Hawkinson, in Christ Chapel.
Dennis and Mary Lou first settled in Des Moines, on Kingman Circle, where their first two children were born. Then in 1966, they moved to Storm Lake, where they had two more children and raised their family. In 1968, Dennis was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives representing Buena Vista County and served with his father, Lester, who represented Dickinson County. Dennis was reelected two times before stepping back from political life in 1974.
In Storm Lake, Dennis opened Freeman Financial Services and made sure all the school teachers in Storm Lake had big calendars for their classrooms every year. He remained active in the Republican Party and many community activities. Dennis enjoyed the Fourth of July Celebrations in Storm Lake and hosting numerous politicians on the front porch. Along with others from the Storm Lake High Noon Kiwanis Club, he helped create the Storm Lake Basketball Jamboree as well as the Field of Dream Sports Complex. He was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.
In 1999, he moved to Ames and put out the Freeman Financial Services shingle there. He married Janice Peterson. He remained active in the Republican Party.
In 2017, he moved back to Spirit Lake for a short period of time and has since been residing is the wonderful care facilities in Gowrie and Stratford for the past three years.
Dennis is preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Leona Freeman, and his brother and sister-in-law, DeVere and Lois Freeman; and his first wife, Mary Lou Freeman. He is survived by his four children and their spouses, Mark (Chris) Freeman of Lititz, PA; Sara (John) Rek ow of Chaska, MN; Cary (Todd) Friedrich of Alta, IA; and Maret (Edmund Ashley) Freeman of Portland, ME; 10 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and his ex-wife Janice Peterson.
Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, a celebration of Dennis’ life will be held at a later date. To honor his memory, donations can be sent to Stratford Specialty Care in his name.
Dennis Lester Freeman
March 2, 1939 - May 31, 2020
Obituary
Dennis Lester Freeman, 81, of Stratford, Iowa died from complications of chronic kidney disease on Sunday, May 31, 2020 at Stratford Specialty Care in Stratford.
Born on March 2, 1939, in Paton, Dennis grew up in Gowrie and moved with his family to Spirit Lake to attend high school and play football. After attending Gustavus Adolphus College, he worked on the campus and was married on June 21, 1962, to Mary Lou Hawkinson, in Christ Chapel.
Dennis and Mary Lou first settled in Des Moines, on Kingman Circle, where their first two children were born. Then in 1966, they moved to Storm Lake, where they had two more children and raised their family. In 1968, Dennis was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives representing Buena Vista County and served with his father, Lester, who represented Dickinson County. Dennis was reelected two times before stepping back from political life in 1974.
In Storm Lake, Dennis opened Freeman Financial Services and made sure all the school teachers in Storm Lake had big calendars for their classrooms every year. He remained active in the Republican Party and many community activities. Dennis enjoyed the Fourth of July Celebrations in Storm Lake and hosting numerous politicians on the front porch. Along with others from the Storm Lake High Noon Kiwanis Club, he helped create the Storm Lake Basketball Jamboree as well as the Field of Dream Sports Complex. He was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.
In 1999, he moved to Ames and put out the Freeman Financial Services shingle there. He married Janice Peterson. He remained active in the Republican Party.
In 2017, he moved back to Spirit Lake for a short period of time and has since been residing is the wonderful care facilities in Gowrie and Stratford for the past three years.
Dennis is preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Leona Freeman, and his brother and sister-in-law, DeVere and Lois Freeman; and his first wife, Mary Lou Freeman. He is survived by his four children and their spouses, Mark (Chris) Freeman of Lititz, PA; Sara (John) Rek ow of Chaska, MN; Cary (Todd) Friedrich of Alta, IA; and Maret (Edmund Ashley) Freeman of Portland, ME; 10 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and his ex-wife Janice Peterson.
Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, a celebration of Dennis’ life will be held at a later date. To honor his memory, donations can be sent to Stratford Specialty Care in his name.
March 2, 1939 - May 31, 2020
Obituary
Dennis Lester Freeman, 81, of Stratford, Iowa died from complications of chronic kidney disease on Sunday, May 31, 2020 at Stratford Specialty Care in Stratford.
Born on March 2, 1939, in Paton, Dennis grew up in Gowrie and moved with his family to Spirit Lake to attend high school and play football. After attending Gustavus Adolphus College, he worked on the campus and was married on June 21, 1962, to Mary Lou Hawkinson, in Christ Chapel.
Dennis and Mary Lou first settled in Des Moines, on Kingman Circle, where their first two children were born. Then in 1966, they moved to Storm Lake, where they had two more children and raised their family. In 1968, Dennis was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives representing Buena Vista County and served with his father, Lester, who represented Dickinson County. Dennis was reelected two times before stepping back from political life in 1974.
In Storm Lake, Dennis opened Freeman Financial Services and made sure all the school teachers in Storm Lake had big calendars for their classrooms every year. He remained active in the Republican Party and many community activities. Dennis enjoyed the Fourth of July Celebrations in Storm Lake and hosting numerous politicians on the front porch. Along with others from the Storm Lake High Noon Kiwanis Club, he helped create the Storm Lake Basketball Jamboree as well as the Field of Dream Sports Complex. He was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.
In 1999, he moved to Ames and put out the Freeman Financial Services shingle there. He married Janice Peterson. He remained active in the Republican Party.
In 2017, he moved back to Spirit Lake for a short period of time and has since been residing is the wonderful care facilities in Gowrie and Stratford for the past three years.
Dennis is preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Leona Freeman, and his brother and sister-in-law, DeVere and Lois Freeman; and his first wife, Mary Lou Freeman. He is survived by his four children and their spouses, Mark (Chris) Freeman of Lititz, PA; Sara (John) Rek ow of Chaska, MN; Cary (Todd) Friedrich of Alta, IA; and Maret (Edmund Ashley) Freeman of Portland, ME; 10 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and his ex-wife Janice Peterson.
Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, a celebration of Dennis’ life will be held at a later date. To honor his memory, donations can be sent to Stratford Specialty Care in his name.
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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1940 United States Federal Census
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Iowa, U.S., Births (series) 1880-1904, 1921-1944 and Delayed Births (series), 1856-1940
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1950 United States Federal Census
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U.S., Newspapers.com™ Marriage Index, 1800s-2020
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Web: Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2022
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