Eugene "Bud" Freeman

Eugene "Bud" Freeman, aged 94, passed away quietly at home on Wednesday August 21, 2019, from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was in his favorite chair and watching the Twins on television. Bud was born in Nickerson, Nebraska, on October 16, 1924. He was the seventh of eight children born to Alta and George Freeman during a tough economic time when the hard work of the 1000-acre farm still used some draft horses for plowing and required all the children to work and work hard. The stories of these eight greatest generation siblings were never about the work, but about the shenanigans and fun the four boys and four girls had; the difficulties were not discussed. It was a manner that continued for his lifetime to focus on the good things and 'never ever give up.' Bud's young life was greatly impacted by the death of his mother at age 4 and his father at age 13. From that time, he and his youngest sister Carmen lived gratefully at the Masonic Eastern Star Home for Children in Fremont. At 16, Bud received a college scholarship from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York but instead stayed in Nebraska to attend the University of Nebraska and also play football as he was an All-State tackle. But because 'The Home' was paying his scholarship tuition to attend the university, playing football was not part of what would be allowed. So, while Bud didn't get to play football in college, Husker football was 'it' in the Freeman household and has stayed that way for the next generations of all the Freeman clan. Turning 18, Bud was immediately drafted into the US Army and served three-years during WWII in the South Pacific as a member of the 166th AAA Gun Battalion working 90 mm guns and operating 'friend or foe' radar positioning equipment. The stories from these days were rarely disclosed unless he was talking with his older brothers; all of whom served. Recently Bud received recognition and thanks for his service from the Olmsted County Veteran's Administration (coordinated by the Mayo Clinic Hospice at Home staff) for which he was very grateful and proud. He was honorably discharged in 1946 as a Master Sergeant. Returning to Lincoln he finished his degree, and then moved to Fremont to work in the chick hatchery business with Jim and Marge Richter. Bud married Fremont-girl Jean Harriet Graber in 1948; they were married for 59 years until her death in 2007. In 1960 Bud re-located to Rochester to manage the American Kimber Chicks production site (in the Harold Crawford-designed building on south Broadway). Tiring of life on the road, Bud started 'Bud Freeman Hearing Aids' for which he was entirely suited with his compassion and empathy and technical skills. Over the next 30 years, he worked with long-time employees Marj Zweifel and Ken Zinser. In 1979, his son Doug joined him and the business expanded to manufacture hearing aids on-site. In the mid-1960s, he became a certified hearing aid dispenser and, as an early proponent of industry credentialing, he went to Washington DC to lobby at a Congressional hearing for the establishment of nation-wide credentialing and professional standards. House-calls were always part of the "Bud" service and serving dozens of communities around Rochester was part of that philosophy. In the early days, many times Bud would go to an emergency house-call for a hearing aid problem or to someone physically unable to get to Rochester, often with his young daughter in tow, and accepted home cooking or baked goods in exchange for payment. From his childhood, he knew what it meant to be in need and how small deeds and preserved dignity made a big impact. One of Bud's favorite sayings was 'people will never remember what you say or do, but they will never forget how you made them feel.' He lived by that sentiment. Bud had beautiful handwriting, a big infectious laugh, and loved Big Band music; he and his wife enjoyed decades of dancing when they could from New Year's Eve events to cruises. They loved to travel and made it to more than 30 countries. A special place for him was the family cabin at Turtle Lake, WI, which he enjoyed starting in 1983 with his family, visiting relatives and friends and especially with his grandchildren. Ironically for a farm kid who could not swim a stroke, he became the father and grandfather to swimming champions and swim coaches. He loved the sport and was one of three people to found the John Marshall High School Booster Club which uses his logo design to this day. He was involved organizationally and as a parent with the Rochester Swim Club and was part of the many faceted effort to bring the Rec Center to fruition. He was a 65+ year member of the Nebraska American Legion, the Masonic Lodge in Nebraska, Scottish Rite-MN and MN Shriners, and a 50+ member of Christ United Methodist Church. Bud is survived by his son, Doug (Diane) and daughter Linda both of Rochester; and his much-loved grandchildren Nicole and Christopher. He is also survived by his beloved nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews mostly on the West Coast; and half-sister Sharon Johnson in Glidden, IA. He was preceded in death by all of his brothers and sisters and two half-siblings. The Family would like to thank Visiting Angels and the Mayo Transitional Care and Mayo Hospice at Home programs for their kindness and care of Bud. Memorials will be used for a scholarship donation in Bud's name at the Fremont Masonic Eastern Star Home for Children. A celebration of Bud's life will be on Saturday, September 28 from 10 a.m.-Noon at the Ranfranz and Vine Reception Centre, 5482 Royal Place NW, Rochester. Inurnment will follow at 12:30 p.m. at Oakwood Cemetery Columbarium. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Freeman family; to share a special memory or condolence, please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com