Ross Edwin Freeman

Ross Edwin Freeman was born on December 5, 1924 and departed this life on December 17, 2015. Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 20, 2015 at Clifton Funeral Home. A funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, December 21, 2015 at Clifton Funeral Home with Pastor Mary Gean Cope officiating. Interment will be at Clifton Memorial Park following the service. He was the youngest of four sons born to the marriage of Ora Elizabeth Freeman and Albert Roscoe Freeman. His father was a rancher in Stephens County, Texas and he died from injuries sustained in a horse accident in August of 1925. Since Ross was only eight months old at the time, he had no memory of his father. Following the death of Albert, Matt Williams, Ross's uncle and the older brother of Ross' mother, joined the family as mentor, father, helper, and leader. Since the oldest of the four sons was only nine at the time, Matt's coming to take the helm was a blessing at the time. Matt was six years older than his sister Ora, single, and available to help, lend guidance, counsel, and assume a fatherly role. In December of 1929, the family moved from Stephens County to Bosque County, and settled on a farm between Union Hill and Eulogy. The family remained on this farm until November of 1933, at which time Ross's mother married William Daniel Bynum who was 22 years older than Ora. William had 13 children by his first marriage. When his wife died, she was survived by 10 sons and three grandchildren. The five oldest of the Bynum sons were married and lived away from home in 1933. That left 11 at home at the time, including Ross' mother, his stepfather, five step-brothers, Ross, and his three older brothers, Hershall, Ray, and Horace. When friends and drop-ins were added, no one knew for sure how many people would have feet under the dinner table at mealtime. The question was never "who," but rather "how many." Preparing three meals a day for that many hungry people was a monumental chore itself, and on a wood burning stove at that. During high school, Ross and his debate partner won first place in the county meet debates two years in a row. Ross was President of Chapter Conducting in his Future Farmers of America class. Ross was valedictorian of his senior class and received a scholarship at Texas Wesleyan Collage in Fort Worth, where he enrolled in June of 1942. While at TWC, he worked at the Griddle System starting at 26 cents an hour and ended as night manager making a whopping 39 cents an hour. World War II was raging and Ross joined the Enlisted Reserve Corps (ERC.) Meanwhile, he met and was dating a gorgeous girl, Marinelle Fincher, who lived in Clifton. Cupid blessed their marriage on December 30, 1942. To this marriage four children were born, they being Lanny Ross Freeman (Ph.D. in geology), George Winston Freeman (D.D.S and Retired Navy Dental Captain,), Kittra Scarlett Freeman (God's little missionary who passed away at age nine, a victim of Reye's Syndrome), and Shawn Marchman Freeman (Associates Degree from Midland College.) Ross and Marinelle observed their 72nd wedding anniversary on December 30, 2014. Ross was called to active duty in May of 1942 and was stationed at Camp Maxey, near Paris, Texas. While in basic training, he was struck down by polio and spent the following six weeks in the camp hospital. He was transported by ambulance to the Army and Navy General Hospital at Hot Springs, Arkansas. He remained there for treatment and rehabilitation until September of 1944, at which time he was assigned to the War Department Personnel Center, Camp Chaffee, Fort Smith, Arkansas. Ross served there as Chief Clerk of the Records Section until his discharge from the Army on March 6, 1946. Following his discharge, he and Marinelle moved to Clifton where he worked and continued his education. Ross enrolled in Baylor Law School in Waco and commuted daily from Clifton until his graduation in August, 1950. Following receipt of his Juris Doctor degree, he took the Texas State Bar Exam and was licensed to practice law in December of 1950. While in law school, Ross was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the Army Active Reserve. Later, he served two weeks on active duty in 1949 at Fort Hood; Camp Lee in Louisiana (1951); Fort Sill, Oklahoma (1952); and again at Fort Hood in 1953 and 1954. He retired from the Army Active Reserve in 1955 as Captain, Company Commander, Infantry, Texas Ozark Division. From January 1948 through May 1948, Ross worked for Bosque County as a gravel truck driver and also helped repair bridges, built cattle guards, and numerous highway and road repairs. Also, while in law school, he worked as a welder in the afternoons and on Saturdays at his father-in-law's (J. G. Fincher) shop. These jobs helped put groceries on the table and cover living expenses. Ross joined Gulf Oil Corporation in August, 1952, and was assigned to its Corporate Law Department in Midland in 1956. Taking early retirement in January of 1983, he joined a 50-member law firm in Midland. He retired from active law practice on January 31, 1991. Ross was very active in the Midland County Bar Association and served as its President in 1973. He was also a Cub Master in scouting for two years and worked with the Boy Scouts in Midland for several years. A member of the First United Methodist Church in Midland from 1956 until his passing, Ross was active in many positions until declining health kept him homebound. Seven decades of Post Polio Syndrome and increased loss of function beginning in 2005 continued to ravage his body unabated until his death. There is no cure for Post Polio Syndrome and no credible treatment. He is mercifully free of his physical disabilities and resides with Kittra, Ora, Horace, and other close family members and friends who paved the way before him. Ross is survived by his loving wife of nearly 73 years; by his three sons; Winston's wife Gladys; and by two grandsons and four great grandsons. Additionally, he is survived by one brother, Ray Winston Freeman, M.D.; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Clifton Funeral Home, Clifton, Texas and burial in the family plot, Clifton.