David Freeman

David Daniel Freeman Sr. passed away on May 21st, 2024 at the age of 94. Born in New London, Connecticut on June16th,1929, he was raised in Waterford at the family home by his parents, Carin and Carl Freeman. His childhood was very rich with colorful, interesting and often dangerous experiences. He would share stories of these days that would make all young boys jealous. His brother, Ralph Sr., was quite a bit older, and Dave worked for him for a time in his greenhouse and floral business. His sister, June, was a year younger than him and shared a closeness with humor and strong faith as the years went by. Attending a technical high school, he had skills the military needed, and at the age of 17 with parental permission he joined the United States Army Air Corp. After sixteen months in the South Pacific as a crew chief for aircraft, he finished his service at Malmstrom Air Force Base; it was at this time he met his soon-to-be wife, Dee Preston.

They moved back to Connecticut where their first-born son, Dan, was born. Dee's dad called and urged them to come back to Montana and run the ranch on the Sun River near Augusta. The rest is history. Following the birth of their second son, Doug, they had a completed family and a ranch they would call home for decades. What Dave didn't know, Dee taught him and as a team, a lifetime of memories were created. The ranch was transformed over the years from using a team of horses and a buck rake and overshot stacker to a modern ranch. It took time, work and debt before it all paid off. In 1988 they retired and would enjoy a retirement of grandkids, their activities, Arizona weather in the winter, and becoming a well-respected bull buying team for the Broken O Ranch in the Spring of each year. Dee, his wife of 70 years, passed away in 2020. Dave was a long-time member of the Augusta American Legion and the Augusta Community Church.

He is survived by his sons, Dan (Tina) and their daughters, Cari (Broady) Isakson, Christi (Jason) Levine, and Kim (Allan) Ramorini); and Doug (Nyleen) and their sons Eric (Kim) and Brent Claire). Among these five grandchildren, "Grandpasaurus" is survived by eleven, great-grandchildren and two, great-great-grandchildren, all who gave Grandpa much love and enjoyment. Dave is also survived by his beloved Montana nieces and nephews and families who spent many years enjoying the family ranch with the Freemans. Additionally, Dave is survived by his wonderful nieces, nephews and cousins and families of his brother and wife, Loretta, who preceeded him in death. Most of them are back East in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and New York. Finally, he is survived by his nieces and nephews and their families of Dave's deceased sister and husband, Don, who mostly reside in Missouri.