Margaret Freeman Tacoma, Washington Obituary

Margaret Freeman

MARGARET FREEMAN Margaret Freeman passed away peacefully on January 11, 2017, at the age of 96, ending a 2 year decline into the darkness of dementia and a release from the agitation and anxiety caused by this dreadful disease. Margaret Elizabeth Marie Gay was born in Effingham IL to the late Raymond and Helen Gay. She had 4 older brothers, also deceased, Harold, Art, Louie, and Barnie. The family moved to Tacoma when she was about 3, where she eventually attended Holy Rosary Catholic School and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1938. She was always extremely private and fiercely independent. She made the difficult decisions in life look easy because she never let you see the turmoil involved in coming to those decisions. This inner strength and independence was evident even in high school where she joined and lettered in rifle club, until then a male only activity, decades before the women's movement of the 1970's. At 89 Marge became a breast cancer survivor, facing this challenge with the same strength and determination she faced any obstacle. It was this stubborn independence that enabled her to live in her own home until the age of 94. A daughter of the Great Depression she could really stretch a dollar - and - a can of tuna fish! After high school and secretarial school she turned her budgeting skills into a career, working for several years at an auto dealership in Tacoma, then again for a time in the 60's and 70's, in the business office, at Good Samaritan Hospital. But, always her primary focus was her family. Marge met her future husband, Larry Freeman, on a double date. She with the other man and Larry with the other woman. Four years later they were married. When Larry passed in 1993 they had been married 51 years. In 1951, Marge and Larry built a home in Puyallup. In the early 1970's they were able to make a long time dream come true and purchased a blueberry farm, which they successfully operated together for many years. Marge had exquisite penmanship, was an accomplished seamstress, loved to dance, read, work crossword puzzles, the movie The Notebook, good chocolate, super bowl parties with friends and especially family gatherings. She never drove but, walked everywhere and she bought a lottery ticket every week. While we are grateful for her long life and the time we have had with her, she will be greatly missed. We will remember her as the center and strength of our family. As we go forward without her we will frequently wonder "what would Mom do?� Marge leaves behind her children, Helen Potter, Madison WI, Molly (Ken) Cretsinger, Beaverton OR, Dale (Sally) Freeman, Moscow ID, Lee Freeman, Puyallup WA and Anne Wige, Spokane WA. Also 9 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Marge spent her last 2 years at Kind Hearts Adult Family Home. The family would like to extend its gratitude to Bill and Yon Atkins and their staff for their kind, thoughtful and professional care of our mother. Funeral Mass will be held on Wed. Jan. 18, 2017, 10:30am at All Saints Catholic Church in Puyallup.
September 2, 1920 - January 11, 201709/02/192001/11/2017
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Obituary

MARGARET FREEMAN Margaret Freeman passed away peacefully on January 11, 2017, at the age of 96, ending a 2 year decline into the darkness of dementia and a release from the agitation and anxiety caused by this dreadful disease. Margaret Elizabeth Marie Gay was born in Effingham IL to the late Raymond and Helen Gay. She had 4 older brothers, also deceased, Harold, Art, Louie, and Barnie. The family moved to Tacoma when she was about 3, where she eventually attended Holy Rosary Catholic School and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1938. She was always extremely private and fiercely independent. She made the difficult decisions in life look easy because she never let you see the turmoil involved in coming to those decisions. This inner strength and independence was evident even in high school where she joined and lettered in rifle club, until then a male only activity, decades before the women's movement of the 1970's. At 89 Marge became a breast cancer survivor, facing this challenge with the same strength and determination she faced any obstacle. It was this stubborn independence that enabled her to live in her own home until the age of 94. A daughter of the Great Depression she could really stretch a dollar - and - a can of tuna fish! After high school and secretarial school she turned her budgeting skills into a career, working for several years at an auto dealership in Tacoma, then again for a time in the 60's and 70's, in the business office, at Good Samaritan Hospital. But, always her primary focus was her family. Marge met her future husband, Larry Freeman, on a double date. She with the other man and Larry with the other woman. Four years later they were married. When Larry passed in 1993 they had been married 51 years. In 1951, Marge and Larry built a home in Puyallup. In the early 1970's they were able to make a long time dream come true and purchased a blueberry farm, which they successfully operated together for many years. Marge had exquisite penmanship, was an accomplished seamstress, loved to dance, read, work crossword puzzles, the movie The Notebook, good chocolate, super bowl parties with friends and especially family gatherings. She never drove but, walked everywhere and she bought a lottery ticket every week. While we are grateful for her long life and the time we have had with her, she will be greatly missed. We will remember her as the center and strength of our family. As we go forward without her we will frequently wonder "what would Mom do?â Marge leaves behind her children, Helen Potter, Madison WI, Molly (Ken) Cretsinger, Beaverton OR, Dale (Sally) Freeman, Moscow ID, Lee Freeman, Puyallup WA and Anne Wige, Spokane WA. Also 9 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Marge spent her last 2 years at Kind Hearts Adult Family Home. The family would like to extend its gratitude to Bill and Yon Atkins and their staff for their kind, thoughtful and professional care of our mother. Funeral Mass will be held on Wed. Jan. 18, 2017, 10:30am at All Saints Catholic Church in Puyallup.

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