TODAY’S OBITS
• Brian M. Freeman
Brian M. Freeman, a proud United States Marine, Temple University alum and the school’s No. 1 fan, an award-winning Delaware County Daily Times reporter and editor, died Thursday after a courageous battle with cancer. Freeman, a lifetime Philadelphia resident, was 61.
Mr. Freeman grew up not far from the old Temple University stadium and spoke often about going to see the Owls play there. He said on many occasions that he still had the chin strap of former Temple quarterback, Ridley great and ex-Green Raiders coach John Waller, who graduated from Temple in 1968.
He was a member of Cheltenham High School’s Class of
1976. After graduating, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps a tour that lasted from 1977-1980 but left a lifetime impression on him. He served as a photojournalist in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Hawaii and Guam, attaining the rank of corporal and earning a Commanding General’s Citation for Outstanding Performance of Duty.
Following his stint in the Corps, Mr. Freeman enrolled at Temple University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 1985. He then began his career in public relations and journalism, working among others for Blue Cross of Greater Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Park Racetrack. He was proud to have lured former Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil as a corporate spokesman, according to his brother Lee Freeman.
His professional journalism career began at the Neighbors section of the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he worked from
1986 to 1995 covering local government and high school sports. He brought his talents to the Daily Times in 1995, starting as a sports writer covering high school sports and specializing in wrestling. During his years at the Times, which lasted until 2016, Mr. Freeman alternated roles in the sports and news departments. Mr. Freeman attacked whatever he was covering, whether it was a sporting event or a school board meeting, with the tenacity one would expect from a Marine. He was especially good with young writers, taking them under his wing and teaching them the nuances of the news business.
“Brian Freeman was precisely the kind of person who made the Daily Times what it was,” Daily Times Editor Phil Heron said. “Whether in sports, where he first started at the paper, or as a news reporter and editor, Brian handled each story with the care and dignity as if it was going to be our lead story.
“The kind of knowledge and passion Brian brought to the job each day is not easily replaced, and certainly never replicated. Delaware County readers whether they are first drawn to the sports or news pages - have lost a first-rate journalist. And those of us who worked with him have lost a first-rate friend and brother.
“Semper Fi, Brian.”
Some of his most memorable stories emerged from his coverage of Darby Borough, which was known for its rough-andtumble politics and dramatic personalities. But he also concentrated on ordinary residents and relished telling their stories.
“Brian wasn’t just a reporter. He was everybody’s friend,” said Paula Brown, who served as Darby’s mayor when Mr. Freeman covered the borough. “He wanted the story to champion for the borough, not just to put it in the paper. He would dig and dig and dig until he got all of the angles, all of the sides ... He had so much passion to write the truth.
“He was just a good-hearted person,” she said.
Mr. Freeman eventually moved on to the sports and news copy desks, serving as an assistant city editor, editorial board member and features editor, among other duties, frequently boosting the U.S. military in his editorials. Along the way he won awards from the Philadelphia Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. After his tenure at the Daily Times, Mr. Freeman was employed by the Bucks County Courier Times, the U.S. Postal Service and Main Line Health.
Mr. Freeman made lifelong friends wherever he went. He was known for storytelling talent, his dry wit and his love for animals. He grew up in a household filled with pets and called his last animal friend of 16 years, his cat DAC, his best buddy. He was named after former canine companions Donnie, April and Chips.
He was passionate about Philadelphia and Temple University sports teams, particularly their football franchises. He relished posing for photos with sports celebrities including Mr. Vermeil, Wilt Chamberlain, Mike Schmidt, Bruce Jenner, Dave Schultz and Randall Cunningham. Mr. Freeman’s love for the Philadelphia Eagles was inherited from his late father Hal Freeman, who was a wellknown public relations executive in the city. He was thrilled to see his beloved Birds take the Super Bowl championship in 2018.
Mr. Freeman also was a big Phillies fan, especially the farm system. His knowledge of the Phillies and their minor league affiliates was vast. Anyone who followed him on Twitter under the handle of @BFreems1 knew that. One of his last tweets was about Reading third baseman Alec Bohm, the Phillies No. 1 pick in 2018.
He also enjoyed his Fantasy Football teams, taking long walks and playing golf. After his father’s death he cherished the time he spent with his mother Lenora, taking her on long drives, day trips to the Jersey shore, and having dinner at their favorite restaurants. He was a devoted family man who loved his siblings, his nieces and nephews and their offspring. No holiday was complete for him without a big family gathering.
He is survived by a brother, Lee, and his wife, Sue; three nieces and three nephews; eight great-nieces and great-nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, July 7, at 11 a.m., Goldsteins’ Rosenberg’s Raphael-Sacks, 6410 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19126, followed by interment in Mount Lebanon Cemetery, 1200 Bartram Ave, Collingdale, PA 19023. Shiva will follow at 3900 Ford Road, Philadelphia, PA 19131. Shiva will also be held at the home of Lee and Sue Freeman on Monday, July 8. Memorial gifts may be made to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation at www.mcsf.org.