Manchester Arts Center
In Memory of Jean P. Freeman
Our long-time friend, fellow artist and arts commission board member, Jean Freeman has passed on. She died at the age of 86 years, on September 19th at the United Regional Nursing Home here in Manchester. Visitation at the Manchester Funeral Home, and later graveside services were held Friday, September 21st at the Farrar Hill Cemetery with Brother Horace L. Jacobs and fellow board member Glenna Poff officiating.
Mrs. Freeman was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, the daughter of the late Philip R. Preston and Doris Miller Preston. After retiring from nursing, she actively pursued art studies in painting and clay sculpture, eventually working with Lewis Snyder, well-known clay sculpture artist and teacher. She was very dedicated to high artistic
standards--so much so that she was known for digging her own clay on occasion, rather than purchase commercially prepared clay.
She served for many years on the Manchester Arts Commission and volunteered enthusiastically at the Manchester Arts Center, rarely missing any community theater performance. Audience members and volunteers will remember Jean’s brownies, which she baked and donated without fail for concession sales during intermissions. She encouraged other artists and taught pottery classes at her home.
She especially loved the Senior Citizens Center and had many friends there. It was here that her good friend, Gordon Siniard taught her to play pool. She became so good she eventually won several tournaments and occasionally beat her teacher. She owned and rode a motorcycle. She was direct and plain-spoken. You always knew where you stood with Jean.
Most of all Jean Freeman is worth remembering as a hard-working artist and community volunteer who dedicated herself to high standards of workmanship and aesthetic quality. She lived life to its fullest, modeling for us all the importance of a generous spirit, an earnest heart, and a passionate embrace of life.