Freeman Jr., Marshall Burrell 'Skip'

Marshall Burrell “Skip” Freeman Jr., 80, of Luzerne, died Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013, at Belle Plaine Nursing and Rehab Center in Belle Plaine after a long illness. Services: 1 p.m. Friday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories, Cedar Rapids. The Rev. Dr. Leonard Ranson will officiate. Burial, with military rites: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Marshall was born Oct. 18, 1932, in Cedar Rapids. His parents were Marshall B. and Fern Freeman. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1951. This is where he met his high school sweetheart, Helen.

Marshall attended Iowa State University before entering the Army in 1953. Marshall and Helen were married Jan. 19, 1954, and spent two months together at Fort Knox before he was sent to Korea for 18 months. He was discharged in September 1955.

In January 1956, they moved to Nevada, Iowa and lived there until he received his B.S. in agronomy from Iowa State University in 1959. Marshall sold agricultural chemicals for several years, then worked at Wilson's in quality control before his final employment with Ohsman & Sons Inc. He retired in 1997.

Marshall and Helen bought their farm in 1965. At one time they had a flock of 300 sheep. The beautiful rolling hills and timber were a great place to raise their four children.

Marshall was an active member of the Blairstown American Legion Post 170. He enjoyed marching with the color guard and competing at State and National Legion Conventions. Some of the positions he held in the American Legion included commander of Blairstown Post 170 and Third District American Legion commander. He was a member of the “40 & 8,” Voiture 625, and a past Chef de Gare.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Helen; a son, John (Julie) of Cedar Rapids; daughters, Linda (Dale) Strong of Blairstown, Ellen (Kirk) Goettsch of Omaha, Neb., and Nancy (Brad) Novotny of Newhall; 15 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a sister, Janet Freeman of Cedar Rapids.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Marshall and Fern Freeman; and a sister, Barbara Markley.

Memorial donations received will help maintain the Veterans Memorial in Blairstown.

Please leave a message of tribute to the Freeman family on the Web page, www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.

Published Aug. 8, 2013 in The Gazette