Richard M. Freeman

Richard M. Freeman

The Rev. Richard “Dick” Marion Freeman, 82, of San Antonio died on Aug. 16, 2017, at his ranch in Utopia.

A graveside service will be held tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at Jones Cemetery in Utopia.

The family says Freeman, who was a reverend, died doing what he loved –working on the Seco Ranch in Utopia where exertion in the Texas heat proved too much and his heart gave out.

He was born on Nov. 21, 1934, in Dimmitt as the eldest son of Carolyn (McNeely) and the Rev. Dr. Alfred Hendrix Freeman.

Freeman graduated from Midwestern State University in 1955 and the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1956, before spending two years in Edinburg, Scotland, at the New College of Theology.

He served as senior pastor at churches in Texas City, Cameron, Dallas and Bedford, with his longest ministerial appointment at First United Methodist Church in Waco, where he was senior pastor for 25 years from 1969-1994. He spoke Spanish in some services held in Waco.

According to the family, Freeman was an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America; was active in civic affairs with the Rotary Club, Lions Club, Kiwanis and the United Way; and he spoke in the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives while he lived in Waco.

The family says he was passionate about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and was a gifted student, teacher, preacher and pastor who conducted countless revivals and spiritual retreats. He was particularly active in the area of evangelism in the United Methodist Church, where he was the director of stewardship and evangelism for the Central Texas Conference of the UMC. He was a sixth-generation Methodist pastor from the Freeman family.

The family says Freeman loved his family and enjoyed gaining knowledge; he was an avid hunter, outdoorsman and conservationist who spent his life living the truth of the gospel.

Recently, he was leading the Sunday morning welcome team at Crossbridge Community Church in San Antonio where he continued to mentor many people.

Freeman is survived by his wife of 58 years, Lois Marie Kelley Freeman, of San Antonio; one daughter, Karen Marie Freeman Cook and husband, Dr. David Cook, of Fort Worth; three sons, Dr. Richard Kelley Freeman and wife, Julie, of San Antonio, the Rev. Stewart Kirk Freeman and wife, Debbie, of San Antonio; eight grandchildren, Lexie Cook, Hannah Cook, Katie Freeman, John Freeman, Annie Freeman, Ellie Freeman, Sarah Grace and Mary Callen Freeman; two brothers, John Alfred Freeman and wife, Sherry, of Fredericksburg, and Larry Charles Freeman and wife, Becky, of Kerrville; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Crossbridge Community Church in San Antonio.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Freeman’s name to Crossbridge Community Church, at crossbridgecommunitychurch.com, please select “special designation.”

Richard M. Freeman