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Sunday April 16, 2006 Byron
Darnell Freeman(6/14/77-4/9/06) |
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 Byron
D. Freeman, (B-Free), 28, passed away quietly April 9, 2006, in Bowling
Green, OH, surrounded by his family. Born in Columbus, OH, he attended
First Church of God Christian School, Robinson Junior High and graduated
in 1995 from Scott High School where he was homecoming king and played
baseball. He also played basketball and was honored as an All American.He then began years of academic study which included earning a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and telecommunications and a master's degree in rehabilitation psychology, both from Bowling Green State University. While at Bowling Green State he pledged Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., was president of the African American Club and member and counselor with Upward Bound. Subsequently, he studied at Southern University in an exchange program. His dream was to open a practice in his field of rehabilitative psychology. During the last five years and during his illness, he began his PhD studies at the University of Iowa and co-founded with his brother, Tyson, Image Imperial LLC, a photography company. Byron was a driven and focused young man. He had specific goals and was firm about achieving them. He had a sincere passion for helping the kids that he counseled. At the same time, he was generous and kind, giving freely of both his time and talents. Byron was saved at a young age, and brought up in Mays Chapel United Holy Church of America under his father's pastorate. He was a Sunday school scholar and active in Vacation Bible School. Byron was preceded in death by his father, Elder Franklin Freeman; maternal grandparents, Wade Pugh and Geraldine Pugh Harden and uncle, Steven Freeman. He leaves to cherish his memory: mother, Janet Freeman-Thurston; step father, John Thurston; paternal grandparents, Francis (Madelee) Freeman; brother, Franklin Freeman II, Tyson W. Freeman of Dayton, OH; sister, Jenel M. Freeman of Auburn Hills, MI; special aunt and uncle, Bob and Shirley Rollins, and a host of other aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews other relatives and many friends. Article published
Thursday, April 13, 2006 in the Toledo news read as follows... "Byron Freeman was a full and total embodiment of friendship,
love, and determination," said Stanley Jackson, Jr., a former fellow
student and fraternity brother. "He taught us the true meaning of
friendship. … He could take the most minute thing about you and
highlight it and make you [feel] that you are the only one in the world to
possess this quality."
Two Bowling Green State University Foundation's scholarships were named
in his honor - the Byron D. Freeman Upward Bound Scholarship and the Byron
D. Freeman Scholarship.
His sister, Jenel M. Freeman, said he was a driven man who was working
toward his doctoral degree in psychology with an ultimate goal of opening
a practice in rehabilitative psychology. "He had a passion for
helping others," she said. "And he was very generous in giving
his time and talent, both professionally and to his family and his
friends."
A Columbus native, Mr. Freeman graduated from Scott High School in
Toledo in 1995 and enrolled at BGSU.
He later got a bachelor's degree in psychology and another bachelor's
degree in telecommunications, both in 1999 from BGSU, and a master's
degree in rehabilitation psychology in 2002, also from BGSU.
For the last few years, Mr. Freeman and his brother, Tyson W. Freeman,
operated Image Imperial LLC, a photography, engraving, and design company
in Toledo, which they founded in about 2002.
Most recently, since 2005, Byron Freeman had been doing his doctoral
studies in psychology at the University of Iowa.
Mr. Freeman was a lifelong member of Mays Chapel United Holy Church of
America in Toledo, where his late father, the Rev. Franklin Freeman, was a
pastor. The older Mr. Freeman died in 1996.
Byron Freeman also was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Surviving are his mother, Janet Freeman-Thurston; stepfather John
Thurston; brothers, Franklin Freeman II and Tyson W. Freeman; sister,
Jenel M. Freeman, and grandparents, Francis and Madelee Freeman.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in First Church of God, 3016
Collingwood Blvd. Toledo. The body will be at the Dale-Riggs Funeral Home
Chapel after 5 p.m. tomorrow.
The family suggests tributes to the Byron D. Freeman Scholarship or the
Byron D. Freeman Upward Bound Scholarship, both at the Bowling Green State
University Foundation. |
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Sign Byron's Guestbook |
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