Mahlon Van Rensselaer Freeman

1930 - 2017

Mahlon Van Rensselaer Freeman

Mahlon Van Rensselaer Freeman passed away on Monday, March 20. He was born on October 29, 1930 in Greeley, Colorado to Mildred Finlay and Robert Haskell Freeman; and was the second of three sons. After living briefly in Colorado; Alameda, California; and Wilmette, Illinois for a few years each, he was raised in Millburn, New Jersey. While in high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve for three years. After attending Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts for three years with a full tuition scholarship, he then attended and graduated from Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. While there, he met and married his wife, Marcia Freeman (maiden name was Freeman). Following a rotating internship in Wilmington, Delaware, he was allocated to the Department of the Army, spending six months in San Antonio, Texas. He then completed specialty training in obstetrics/gynecology and endocrinology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. During the next 22 years, Army assignments included Ft. Ord, California; Rodriguez U.S. Army Hospital, San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Madigan General Hospital, Ft. Lewis, Washington. Dr. Freeman then obtained a Doctor of Medical Science degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City and then was assigned to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District of Columbia. While at that post, he was Director of Education; liaison for the Surgeon General of the Army to the National Institutes of Health Study Section on Human Embryology and Development; Professor of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, United Services University of the Health Sciences; and Chairman, Scientific Exhibits Committee, Armed Forces District, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In 1978, he retired from the Army and became a medical geneticist with the Genetic Screening and Counseling Service, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Denton, Texas for five years. He then established the North Texas Genetic Services, P.A. in Denton where he provided refined OB/GYN ultrasound evaluations, prenatal diagnosis, and genetic counseling for 14 years. He thus gained one nickname of the "jelly belly doctor".

Travel was always a desire for Mahlon. While in the Army, he gave medical lectures in Alaska, Germany and Puerto Rico. After retirement, he gave medical lectures in China, Outer Mongolia, Russia and the Check Republic. Fun travel with wife and many times with family included multiple trips to Canada, Mexico, China and all of Europe except Portugal as well as a few trips to Argentina and Chile.

While in Denton, he was a member of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Flow Hospital; Chair, Department of OB/GYN, Flow Hospital; Chair, Board of Censors, Denton County Medical Society; alternate delegate and then delegate, Texas Medical Association; Vice-president, Adult Probation Advisory Council Research Team; Member, Executive Committee, Denton Regional Medical Center; Chair, Credentials Committee, Denton Regional Medical Center; Chair, Ethics and Professional Standards Committee, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine; Secretary-Treasurer, Denton County Medical Society for 9 years, and a member, Board of Directors, Denton Independent School District Foundation for six years. Then, he became a member of the Board of Project Access of Denton County, lecturer on Medicare fraud and abuse via Senior Medicare Patrol with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) as well as lecturer at the Emeritus College, University of North Texas.

Dr. Freeman received certification by the National Board of Medical Examiners; American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Texas State Board of Medical Examiners; and the American Board of Medical Genetics. He had 17 publications in medical journals. The State of Texas awarded him a Proclamation in 1998 for outstanding service to the citizens of Texas.

Dr. Freeman is survived by his wife, Marcia, four children- Mark (California), Leslie Belcher (Virginia), Lansingh (San Antonio) and Margo Bean (Denton). Also, nine grandchildren and his brother Thorp Freeman (VT). Whether he was known as Van, Dad, Doc, Colonel, Bro, or Grandad, he will be sorely missed but will continue to inspire all of us.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider a contribution to Denton Community Theatre or "Our Daily Bread" (Denton).