116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Gary Freeman
GARY L. FREEMAN
Tiffin
Gary L. Freeman, 75, of Tiffin, will be watching this football season unfold from above following a valiant 17-month battle with liver and bone cancer. He passed away Friday evening, Aug. 19, 2016, in his home surrounded by his greatest success, his family.
Gary Lee Freeman was born May 12, 1941, a lifelong Iowa City boy, graduating from City High with the class of 1960. He married his high school sweetheart, Nancy Gauper, in 1962. Gary was a well known area business man, owning and running Freeman Insurance Agency for more than 37 years, before selling his company to the UICCU and retiring in 2013, but not before sharing his passion of insurance sales, now spanning into the fourth generation.
In 2003, Gary married Carlin Lubben Matthews, who has been a loving wife and devoted caregiver through Gary's illness and ultimately his death. Carlin will love him for the rest of her life!
Gary's loving spirit will also be carried on by his children, Susan Fischer (Tim) of Golden, Colo., and their children, Rebecca Fischer and Joel Vandenberg (Patti) and their daughter, Kiya; son, Scott Freeman (Sue) of Coralville and their children, Taylor and Clay (fiancee Kayla) Freeman; son, Chad Freeman (Teresa) of Tiffin and their children, Madison and Gage Freeman and Hunter and Hanna Stokes; brother, Robert Freeman (Marion) of Loveland, Colo.; Nancy Freeman (Mike) of Westminster, Colo.; as well as many in-laws, nieces, nephews and colorful friends.
In death, Gary is reunited with his parents, Goldie and Ralph Freeman; as well as his infant sister, Betty; and brother, Jim.
A preseason celebration of Gary's life will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in his name may be directed to Iowa City Hospice or the American Cancer Society. Memories and online condolences may be shared with his family at www.gayandciha.com.
May his laugh and wise old sayings resonate through us for many generations to come.
Daily Newsletters