Donald Lewis Freese, 92, of Aurora, formerly of Central City, died on Monday, January 21, 2019 at Aurora Memorial Community Care in Aurora. Memorial services will be on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Central City with Pastor Tom Lucas officiating. Inurnment will be at the Central City Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the family. Condolences may be sent to the family at www. soltwagnerfuneral.com.
Donald Lewis Freese was born on a farm north of Scotia, on March 16, 1926 to Dora Lee (Wetzel) Freese and Lewis Clark Freese. He started school in Scotia, and then moved to a farm while still in the first grade, near Horace where he went to school through the tenth grade. He then went to Scotia Consolidated High School and graduated in 1943 with a 3-year teaching certificate.
He helped on the farm with his folks until the fall of 1943 at which time he started teaching at Amity district school near Ericson, NE. After the school year was over he returned to the farm helping his folks until he was drafted into the United States Army in 1946. He spent 3 years in the Army and Air Force until 1949.
He worked on a farm near Grand Island until the summer of 1950, at which time he attended Kearney State Teachers College to renew his teaching certificate. He taught school at a country school in Valley County, southwest of North Loup, NE during the 1950-51 school year. He worked at various jobs, never being unemployed for a very lengthy time until 1952 at which he began his life of driving trucks and running heavy equipment.
He started with the Blue Flame Propane Co. on North Hwy 281 just north of Grand Island. He was united in marriage to Emma (Bibbey) Schooler on Dec. 2, 1967.
He adopted a son Robert Schooler from Emma’s previous marriage. Don and Emma moved to Mitchell, NE after the death of his father in 1967. His mother suffered from Alzheimer’s and was in a rest home in Albion.
Two children were born to them, Renee LeeAnn of Central City and Donovan Clark of Phillips. Don worked for the State Of Nebraska in Scottsbluff and started driving trucks in Scottsbluff and running heavy equipment on construction in Wyoming. They moved back to Hastings, where he continued to drive trucks, buying his own truck in 1975 at which time he and Emma trucked together for several years.
He was with Elkhorn Valley Milk Co., Grand Island Express, and Minden Carriers. They moved to Central City in 1980 where he continued driving until getting rid of his truck and started driving for Westring & Sons out of Genoa, where he hauled milk and then started running coast to coast until his retirement. He retired from Westring’s in 1988 at which time he and Emma managed the Eagles Club in Central City.
He then started driving part time for Central City Scale delivering farm scales in February of 1989, along with helping Emma manage the Eagle’s Club. Don was a member of the American Legion, past member of the VFW, Knights of Pythias, and Eagles Club as well as a member of the Central City Senior Center. Don enjoyed hunting, fishing, bowling and traveling.
He was also an avid bike rider, and loved to attend his grandchildren’s sporting events and other activities. He and Emma greatly enjoyed dancing until later years when Emma contracted cancer and could no longer dance. Emma passed away on November 22, 2005 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Don then married Katharine Colburn of Glenvil, NE on June 2, 2007, at which time he gained three step-sons and a step-daughter. Kim (De) Colburn of Fulshear, TX, Tom Colburn of Glenvil, NE, Rachelle (Sean) Colburn-Smith of Omaha and Patrick Colburn of Deweese, NE. They continued to live in Central City and he worked part time for Central City Scale until his second retirement in May of 2008.
Those left to cherish his memory are his children; Donovan (Pam) Freese of Phillips, Robert Freese, and Renee (Kris) Erickson of Central City. He was preceded in death by his parents; and wife Emma Freese. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Donald L Freese please visit our Sympathy Store.
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