Helen Louise Freeman

Helen Louise Freeman daughter of the late Orville and Ruby (Leadford) Lacey, was born July 21, 1922 in Lincoln, Nebraska and departed this life, January 22, 2012 after a long illness. She was 89 years, 6 months and 1 day of age.
Helen was raised in Lincoln until she was nine years old when they moved to Norwood, MO. She attended one-room school houses, such as Spotted Hog and then Norwood High School when it was a three story brick building, until her marriage to Chester Freeman on February 12, 1940. Seventeen children were born to this union. They raised their family in the Brushy Knob and Norwood communities.
Helen and Chester raised huge gardens every year and preserved the food for winter to feed their large family. Helen made beautiful quilts and loved her flower gardens. She also learned to oil paint with a dear friend in her golden years. Some of Helen’s favorite times were the big get-togethers and family reunions. She loved to travel to see her children and grandchildren out-of-state or to be with her sisters. She loved her family and loved to visit.
Helen went to work at Fordick’s after her youngest child was in school to help support her family. She moved to Oklahoma in 1984 and worked in a factory and a daycare as well as home health. She went back to school and received her GED in 1988 and made her children very proud. Helen was an avid reader and loved to learn new things.
After her retirement she moved back to Norwood in 1992 and was able to help raise her two youngest grandsons, Chandler and Lincoln. She loved to watch them play or read to them. She especially enjoyed going to all their school activities.
Helen became a Seventh Day Adventist in 1965 and loved her church family. She enjoyed the ladies socials and retreats so much. Helen held several positions in the church over the years but her favorite was “Greeter”. With her beautiful smile she was perfect for that job.
Helen was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Chester on September 27, 1977, two infant sons, Lonnie and Kevin, four grandchildren, Treva, Mike, Krissy, and Ryan, a daughter-in-law, Sandy, three sons-in-law, Bryan Seitzinger, Robert Allen and Joe Long, a brother, George Lacey and a sister Barbara Welch.
She is survived by two sisters; Muriel Kelley of Modesto, CA and Irene Merwin of Dalhart, TX, one brother-in-law James Freeman and his wife Faye of Mtn. Grove, seven sons; Nick and his wife Dorothy of Wonderlake, IL, Wes and his wife Karen of McKinney, TX, Paul and his wife Glenna of Oldfield, Doug and his wife Judy of Porum, OK, Sam and his wife Joan of Ellinwood, KS, Kent of Mansfield and Mark of Oldfield. Eight daughters; Carla of Savannah, TN, Paula Allen of Hartville, Valerie Long of Mansfield, Charlene Foster and her husband Scott of Olive Hill, TN, Tomma Seitzinger of Broomfield, CO, Merry Lou DeBonis and her husband Dan of Lucerne, CA, Robyn Jarrett and her husband Aaron and Stephanie Connell and her husband Brian all of Norwood, forty-five grandchildren, eighty-three great-grandchildren, nine great-great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.


Funeral Services: Saturday,
January 28, 2012 at 2:00 PM
in the Norwood School
Multipurpose Room,

Norwood, MO.


Visitation: Friday,

January 27, 2012 from
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM in the

Craig-Hurtt Chapel.


Burial: Brushy Knob Cemetery


Memorial Contributions:

Helen Freeman Memorial
Fund c/o the funeral home.