Richard L. Freeman

Richard L. "Dick" Freeman, 92. Beloved husband for 66 years to Mary, nee Leopold; devoted father of Thomas R. Freeman and Richard L. (Sonya) Freeman Jr.; proud grandfather of Nicholas Thomas Freeman; dear son of the late Reuben and Bernice Freeman; caring brother-in-law of Robert (Sara) Leopold and Thomas (Janet) Leopold; loving uncle of Michael (Mercedes) Leopold, Susan Leopold, Barbara (Chris Laughlin) Leopold Laughlin, Jennifer Leopold (Steve Katz), Mary Leopold (Alexander Brown), and Joanne Leopold; cherished great-uncle, cousin, and friend of many. Dick had a lifelong passion for the French language and French literature, inspired by his teacher "Madame" from the Francis W. Parker School. At Harvard, Dick appeared in theatrical plays and particularly loved singing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Some were privileged to witness opera aficionado and Francophile Dick's combining these passions in his dramatic off-the-cuff performances of La Marseillaise (the French national anthem). Dick went from Harvard to the Yale Law School to learn his trade. Upon graduation he joined his Uncle Arthur's firm, Schwartz and Freeman, where he became a partner and spent his entire professional career. Dick was on the board of the Chicago Hearing Society for decades, serving as its President in the early 1970s. Dick started jogging shortly after publication of Jim Fixx's The Complete Book of Running in 1977 and did not stop until his late 80s. For most of this time, he ran with his great friend and accomplice Marc Grayson. Dick was proud of the many medals he won over the years and particularly loved winning in his age group later in life. In retirement, Dick got great satisfaction volunteering for Chicago Legal Services, where he represented low-income clients with very different (and much more pressing) problems that his paying clients at Schwartz and Freeman. But Dick will be most remembered for and got his greatest satisfaction as a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law law and uncle. To those asking whether he really was as kind and sweet as he seemed, yes, he was exactly who he seemed to be. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Chicago Hearing Society, www.chicagohearingsociety.org/donate/. Chapel service Sunday, July 6, 12:15 PM at Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, 1700 W. Rand Rd, Arlington Heights. Interment is private. For a link to view the service and to leave condolences: www.shalommemorial.org, 847-255-3520.