Robert Jeffrey Freeman

AUSTIN, Texas – Robert Jeffery Freeman, 69, of Austin and formerly of Cary, was born Nov. 27, 1941, in Oak Park, to Jane Warren and Harold Gale Freeman.
He grew up in Sterling and Rock Falls. An avid drummer and car enthusiast throughout his youth, he continued his studies at Bradley University in Peoria.
He married Barbara (Bartel) Freeman in 1967. They had two children, Jeffery Robert and Elizabeth Lynne, and later divorced.
He worked for 36 years as a high school auto mechanics teacher in High School District 214, Arlington Heights.
He married his best friend, Diane (Backman) Freeman, in 1993, and upon retirement, they moved near Daytona Beach, Fla. He spent his retirement focused on the things he enjoyed the most: relaxing on the beach, listening to music, making people laugh, and spending time with friends.
He is survived by his wife, Diane Freeman of Austin; his children, Jeffery (Colleen Boyle) Freeman of Carpentersville, Elizabeth Freeman and Mike Morris of Wonder Lake and Lisa (Steve) Diamond of Florissant, Colo.; his grandchildren, Aidan Freeman of Carpentersville, Sarah (Diamond) and Jeremy Dick of Manhattan, Kan., and Steven Diamond of Fort Collins, Colo.; a great-grandson, Dawson Dick; and a brother, Richard Freeman of Des Moines, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jane and Gale Freeman.
The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his name to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or 800-227-2345.