Obituary of Barry N. Freeman
On Monday, February 5, 2024, Barry Freeman, age 93, passed away peacefully surrounded by family. His beloved spouse, Valerie, and son Michael preceded him in death, and welcomed him with a warm embrace as he transitioned from this world on to the heavenly world.
Barry was born on March 18, 1930, in Tucson Arizona. He graduated from Tucson High School, and obtained a master's degree from the University of Arizona in Range Management. He served in the U.S. Army and fought in the Korean War. Upon his return from Korea, he married the love of his life, "his bride", Valerie, and shortly thereafter started a family. Barry spent much of his early career years traveling the State of Arizona as an Extension Agent with the University of Arizona. After leaving the University of Arizona, he started his own agricultural consulting business which provided him with the opportunity to travel to over 37 countries. One of the most pivotal moments in his life and career was when he moved to Lesotho (southern Africa) to manage a large USAID government contract for 10 years.
Barry was a man driven by his faith, his family, and devotion to his country. He was a man of principles. It is hard to put into words the impact that Barry had on those around him. Some words used to describe him and what he stood for are: integrity, humility, generosity, honor, compassion, duty, respect, responsibility, values, family, and God. He had a quiet dignity about him, with a strong sense of morals and values that dictated the trajectory of his life. He had a tremendous influence on those around him be they family, friends, or work colleagues. Although he had a very commanding presence, he was a very gentle, kind and compassionate man who would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need. He was Humble, Honest, Gentle, and one of the most generous individuals you could find. He was a man of his word. Barry did not have an easy childhood, but persevered, and worked hard to overcome the challenges put in his way. He used that as motivation to succeed in all aspects of his life, and never used the hardships as an excuse.
Words used to describe our dad/Barry would be that he was quiet, yet profound; soft spoken yet commanding; and a deep thinker but could communicate in a way that everyone could understand. In many ways, he was larger than life, and generous to a fault. He would help anyone who asked, or even people who didn't, without ever expecting anything in return. His humility meant that he never wanted credit for things that he did. He would always say that he had a very blessed life and was grateful for all of those blessings. He never complained and would remark that there was always someone who had it worse.
Barry is predeceased by his loving wife Val; and survived by his brother, Karl Freeman of Boulder City, NV; his sons Scott (Kelly) Freeman of Carrollton, TX, and Paul (Beth) Freeman of Camp Verde, AZ, and daughter Kelly (Keith) Corson of Vail, AZ, along with grandchildren, Kayla and Daniel.
We were blessed to have had Barry as our father, grandfather, brother and friend. No one could ever replace him. He will be missed forever, but we are comforted by the fact he and mom, along with his buddy Mike are together with God.
A visitation will take place at Brings Broadway Chapel on 29 February from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm, with a Rosary to follow. Funeral services will take place on Friday, 1 March, at 10:00 am at St. Francis de Sales located at 1375 S. Camino Seco, with reception to follow. A private interment ceremony for family will follow the reception. For those wishing to send flowers, they may be sent to Brings Broadway Chapel, 6910 E. Broadway, Tucson, Arizona for delivery on February 29, 2024. For those wishing to make donations in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Barry's name to either Gospel Rescue Mission, or The Special Olympics which were all organizations near and dear to Barry's heart.
