Barbara Ann Tinin Freeman

1946 - 2017

POQUOSON - Barbara Ann Tinin Freeman, born November 6, 1946, passed away Friday, June 2, 2017. Preceding her in death were her parents Mary Lucille True Tinin and Henry Edward Tinin of Corinth, MS; grandparents, Gertie Mae Pitts Tinin and Charlie Elmer Tinin of Clifton, Perry County, TN and Corinth, and Ester Verdie Patterson True and John Thomas True of Obion County, TN; and her brother, Larry Wayne Tinin of Corinth. Barb loved her family. Surviving family in Poquoson are her loving husband of 49 1/2 years, Carey Lawson Freeman; son Craig Lawson Freeman and wife Sunny Lee Hanson Freeman; and granddaughters, Emily Brooke Freeman and Holly Evan Freeman. Barb also loved her friends, church, and community. Often that community was a military base, where her husband Carey was stationed. Barb loved math and was an outstanding teacher. Graduating co-valedictorian of Corinth High School class of 1964, she earned her math B.A. with honors from Miss. State Univ. and was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta. She worked at the math lab at Eglin AFB, taught math for HEW overseas, taught at Mascoutah Comm. H.S. in Illinois, and taught math for 25 years at Poquoson High School. She was an AT&T Fellow appointed by Governor Wilder. Barb was president of the Peninsula Council of Teachers of Mathematics, on the state board for the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and was the VCTM 2005 Secondary Math Teacher of the Year for Virginia. She served on the VCTM Scholarship Committee and the Educator of the Year Committee for many years. She had a M.A. in Guidance & Counseling from Inter-American University of Puerto Rico. With a B.A. in German from the University of Maryland, European Division, when needed she taught German at PHS and at Hampton University. Barb loved her students. She also loved her teacher family at PHS and her Virginia math teacher family. One of her joys was reading for Academic Challenge meets. She was Math Department Chair, started Mu Alpha Theta, ran the PHS Virginia Math League contests, and initiated a general calculus course. She won an NEH grant to study opera in Vienna, Austria. She served as VCU Urban Corridor Project Clinical Faculty. Some of her students remember her as Frau Freeman, but her math students remember "yelling math at the ceiling", "the great triganama tree", "the cow problem" and Sohcahtoa's chant "sine, cosine, cosine, sine¿cosine, cosine---sine, sine." Barb was a member of Tabernacle United Methodist Church, the Faith and Fellowship Class, Friendship Bible Class, and the Ladies Bible Class. She served as Chancel Choir Alto, Women's Chorus, UMW President, Lay Leader, certified Lay Speaker, certified Lay Servant, Sunday School teacher, Bible School teacher, substitute organist, and member of York River District stewardship and missions boards. She was Regent of the Charles Parish Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Constitution Week Chairman. She served as C.A.R. senior state chairman for American Heritage, American History, and State Project committees and held several senior chairmanships in the Moore House Society. She loved that her granddaughters were elected to state offices, Emily serving as State President and Holly as State Historian. Barb loved the USA and was very patriotic. As an Air Force officer's wife, Barb served in several offices in various Officer's Wives Clubs, volunteered for Air Force Community Services, and received the 1000 hour pin for her work at Selfridge ANGB for Army Community Services. She belonged to Poquoson American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Post #273, and served as Girls State Chairman. She was a lifelong member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, and of Virginia Retired Teachers and Poquoson Retired Teachers. She was an FAA licensed private pilot and played clarinet, piano, and organ. The family will receive friends tonight, 6:00-8:00 PM, at Claytor Rollins Funeral Home, Poquoson, and other times at her home. A Celebration of Barb's life will be held Monday, June 5, 11:00 AM, at Tabernacle United Methodist Church, led by Rev. James N. Earley II. Burial will follow at Weston Cemetery, Poquoson, and then a reception for everyone back at the church. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Tabernacle UMC, 831 Poquoson Ave, Poquoson, VA, 23662. Online condolences to claytorrollins.com . "Barb Freeman was an upstanding person, smart, creative, generous, loving wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and teacher. We will miss her here, but she is now present with her Savior in the full joy of Heaven."