Houghton Freeman

Houghton "Buck" Freeman Dearly loved husband of Doreen for over 62 years, passed away in Stowe, Vermont, on Wednesday, December 1, 2010. He is deeply mourned by his beloved son, Graeme Freeman, and his wife, Nancy, of Honolulu, Hawaii, and daughter, Linda Post, and her husband, Don, of Stowe, Vermont. Equally loved were his grandchildren, Alec and Colin Freeman; Tyler, Alexi, and Graham Post; and stepgrandsons, David and Scott DeCristo. Buck Freeman was born in Peking, China, in 1921, the son of Professor Mansfield Freeman and his wife, Mary Houghton. He graduated from the Shanghai American School and then attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. After this, he entered the U.S. Navy and attended the Japanese Language Schools in Berkeley, CA, and Boulder, CO. He returned to Wesleyan and graduated in 1946. He began his insurance career with American International Underwriters Corporation. After training at Lloyds of London and marrying Doreen Brown in London in 1948, he was transferred to Shanghai, China, where his daughter, Linda, was born in 1949. Upon evacuation from Shanghai, they relocated to Tokyo, Japan. He was appointed Resident Vice President of AIU Japan in 1952; his son, Graeme, was born in St. Johnsbury, VT, in 1955; and he was appointed President of AIU Japan in 1956. He remained in Japan for 21 years before moving to New York. In 1983, he was elected President and Chief Operating Officer of American International Group (AIG). Upon his retirement in 1993, he remained an honorary Director of AIG. Upon his father's death in 1992, Mr. Freeman assumed position of Chairman of the Freeman Foundation which he ran with his wife and son until his death. A memorial service will take place in early summer in Greensboro, Vermont. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Lamoille Home Health and Hospice, 54 Farr Ave., Morrisville, VT, 05661; American Red Cross, Hawaii State Chapter, 4155 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, HI 96816; or a charity of your choice.