Block, Upload, Automoderated users, edit, move, protect, rollback
57,799
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 17:
Line 17: − + − |footnotes=(1) [[Logansport, Louisiana|Logansport]] Mayor Freeman worked for sixteen years to procure a new [[bridge]] over the [[Sabine River (Texas–Louisiana)|Sabine River]]. − − (2) During Mayor Freeman's tenure, the Sabine River waterfront was revitalized with walking trails, a [[gazebo]], [[picnic]] grounds, and a veterans' memorial. − + Line 41:
Line 38: − + − + Line 60:
Line 57: − +
no edit summary
|party= [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party Republican]]
|party= [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party Republican]]
|occupation= [[Insurance]] agent
|occupation= [[Insurance]] agent
|religion= [[Methodist]]
|religion= [[United Methodist]]
}}
}}
'''Harold Dennis Freeman''' (April 23, 1940 – November 23, 2007), known as '''Dennis Freeman''', was the [[mayor]] of Logansport, a town adjacent to the Sabine River in DeSoto Parish in northwestern [[Louisiana]] from 1984 until his death. His contributions were particularly significant considering the otherwise limited role of a small-town mayor. For some sixteen years, he worked patiently with highway officials in Louisiana and [[Texas]] to construct a new border bridge over the Sabine.. Freeman also fought to keep the pending Interstate 69 route in western Louisiana closer to Logansport. He helped to establish the first fire and ambulance districts in DeSoto Parish.<ref name="Legacy.com Secure Server">[http://www.legacy.com/shreveporttimes/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=98534216 Legacy.com Secure Server<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
'''Harold Dennis Freeman''' (April 23, 1940 – November 23, 2007), known as '''Dennis Freeman''', was the [[mayor]] of Logansport, a town adjacent to the Sabine River in DeSoto Parish in northwestern [[Louisiana]] from 1984 until his death. His contributions were particularly significant considering the otherwise limited role of a small-town mayor. For some sixteen years, he worked patiently with highway officials in Louisiana and [[Texas]] to construct a new border bridge over the Sabine.. Freeman also fought to keep the pending Interstate 69 route in western Louisiana closer to Logansport. He helped to establish the first fire and ambulance districts in DeSoto Parish.<ref name="Legacy.com Secure Server">[http://www.legacy.com/shreveporttimes/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=98534216 Legacy.com Secure Server<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Steve Stephens of Logansport said that his friend Freeman"did a magnificent job and will be sorely missed. Dennis understood problems and knew how to get things done in government. His death is a loss for this community and this area." Near the end of his life as he fought [[cancer]], Freeman was also attempting to mitigate the closure of a Georgia Pacific plywood plant, the largest employer in Logansport. He worked with state and local agencies to help displaced workers and to procure solutions to the economic gap created from the loss of the plant.<ref name="The Shreveport Times">[http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071127/NEWS01/711270322/1002/NEWS The Shreveport Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Steve Stephens of Logansport said that his friend Freeman did a "magnificent job and will be sorely missed. ... Dennis understood problems and knew how to get things done in government. His death is a loss for this community and this area." Near the end of his life as he fought [[cancer]], Freeman was also attempting to mitigate the closure of a Georgia Pacific plywood plant, the largest employer in Logansport. He worked with state and local agencies to help displaced workers and to procure solutions to the economic gap created from the loss of the plant.<ref name="The Shreveport Times">[http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071127/NEWS01/711270322/1002/NEWS The Shreveport Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Early years, education, civic leadership==
==Early years, education, civic leadership==
Former Mayor Harold Cornett of Mansfield in DeSoto Parish, recalls his former colleague as a "hard worker" who was well thought of in the community and throughout the state. "He was a great leader who never said 'no' to responsibility. He was just a good mayor, and Logansport, the state, and I will certainly miss him," said Cornett, who, as an honorary pallbearer, joined the mayors of Mansfield, Grand Cane, Stonewall, and Natchitoches as well as other elected officials and parish residents at Freeman's funeral.<ref name="The Shreveport Times"/>
Former Mayor Harold Cornett of Mansfield in DeSoto Parish, recalls his former colleague as a "hard worker" who was well thought of in the community and throughout the state. "He was a great leader who never said 'no' to responsibility. He was just a good mayor, and Logansport, the state, and I will certainly miss him," said Cornett, who, as an honorary pallbearer, joined the mayors of Mansfield, Grand Cane, Stonewall, and Natchitoches as well as other elected officials and parish residents at Freeman's funeral.<ref name="The Shreveport Times"/>
Some three hundred gathered at the First [[United Methodist]] Church in Logansport, where Freeman was a member and sang in the choir, to pay respects to a man noted for his personal "passion". The Reverend Kemper Smith said that Freeman was "passionate about what he believed. . . . His determination served him well because he was a born leader." Daughter Pamela Kaye Freeman (born 1970) of Logansport addressed the mourners and read from a letter that Freeman's wife, the former Katherine Thomas, then seventeen, wrote to him in 1958:
Some three hundred gathered at the First [[United Methodist]] Church in Logansport, where Freeman was a member and sang in the choir, to pay respects to a man noted for his personal "passion". The Reverend Kemper Smith said that Freeman was "passionate about what he believed. ... His determination served him well because he was a born leader." Daughter Pamela Kaye Freeman (born 1970) of Logansport addressed the mourners and read from a letter that Freeman's wife, the former Katherine Thomas, then seventeen, wrote to him in 1958:
[[Image:Dennis Freeman grave, Logansport, LA IMG 0943.JPG|225px|right|thumb|<span style="font-size:100%;">Dennis Freeman's grave in [[Logansport, Louisiana|Logansport]] Cemetery</span>]]
[[Image:Dennis Freeman grave, Logansport, LA IMG 0943.JPG|225px|right|thumb|<span style="font-size:100%;">Dennis Freeman's grave in [[Logansport, Louisiana|Logansport]] Cemetery</span>]]
"I admire you for standing by what you think is right." Replied Pam Freeman: "Doesn't that sound familiar?" The Freemans were married for forty-six years. He was survived by two other daughters, Susan and husband Steve Simmons of Frisco, Texas, and Kathy and husband Billy Alger of Logansport, five grandchildren, and three brothers.<ref name="The Shreveport Times"/>F
"I admire you for standing by what you think is right." Replied Pam Freeman: "Doesn't that sound familiar?" The Freemans were married for forty-six years. He was survived by two other daughters, Susan and husband Steve Simmons of Frisco, Texas, and Kathy and husband Billy Alger of Logansport, five grandchildren, and three brothers.<ref name="The Shreveport Times"/>F
Freeman is interred in Logansport [[Cemetery]] located near the riverfront. His marker reads "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." The riverfront had been an unattractive briar thicket until Freeman directed its renovation. Now, it is a welcoming entrance off U.S. Highway 84 into Louisiana from Texas. It has a terraced landscape, veterans' memorial, walking paths, gazebo, picnic tables, and a pavilion, mostly financed from grants and private donations.<ref name="The Shreveport Times"/>
Freeman is interred in Logansport Cemetery located near the riverfront. His marker reads "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." The riverfront had been an unattractive briar thicket until Freeman directed its renovation. Now, it is a welcoming entrance off U.S. Highway 84 into Louisiana from Texas. It has a terraced landscape, veterans' memorial, walking paths, gazebo, picnic tables, and a pavilion, mostly financed from grants and private donations.<ref name="The Shreveport Times"/>
Freeman's wife Katherine (born November 14, 1940), a Democrat<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voterportal.sos.la.gov/home.aspx?galogin=voter |title=Katherine Freeman, November 1940 |publisher=[[Louisiana Secretary of State]] |accessdate=September 12, 2014 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> succeeded her husband as mayor.<ref>[http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/OBITUARIES01/801160355/1046/js07 The Shreveport Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> She is listed among the state and local officials who endorsed the unsuccessful reelection bid in 2014 of Democratic [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehayride.com/2014/09/landrieus-gop-endorsements-pale-in-comparison-to-2008-election/|title=Landrieu’s GOP Endorsements Pale In Comparison To 2008 Election|publisher=thehayride.com|accessdate=September 12, 2014}}</ref> Freeman's grandson, Thomas "Bryce" Alger was chairman of the DeSoto Parish Democratic Executive Committee from 2012 to 2016.
Freeman's wife Katherine (born November 14, 1940), a Democrat<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voterportal.sos.la.gov/home.aspx?galogin=voter |title=Katherine Freeman, November 1940 |publisher=[[Louisiana Secretary of State]] |accessdate=September 12, 2014 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> succeeded her husband as mayor.<ref>[http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/OBITUARIES01/801160355/1046/js07 The Shreveport Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> She is listed among the state and local officials who endorsed the unsuccessful reelection bid in 2014 of Democratic [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehayride.com/2014/09/landrieus-gop-endorsements-pale-in-comparison-to-2008-election/|title=Landrieu’s GOP Endorsements Pale In Comparison To 2008 Election|publisher=thehayride.com|accessdate=September 12, 2014}}</ref> Freeman's grandson, Thomas "Bryce" Alger was chairman of the DeSoto Parish Democratic Executive Committee from 2012 to 2016.
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Business People
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:United Methodists]]
[[Category:United Methodists]]