Person:Joseph Free (4)

Free, Joseph Paul, educator, archeologist: b. Cleve., Oct. 11, 1911: s. Joseph Laverne and Enna Edith (Lamb) F.; A.B., Princeton, 1932. A.M., 1933. Ph.D., 1935; postgrad, student Oriental Inst., U. Chgo., 1940-48; m. Ruby Aldrich, Aug. 20, 1935., children - Alice Anita, David Paul. Asst. prof. archeology Wheaton Coll., 1935-1940, asso. prof., 1940-43, prof. archeology, dir. archeol. studies, 1943-66, Fred McManis prof. archeology, 1955-67; staff Am. Sch. Oriental Research, excavating at Dibon in Arab Palestine, 1951, 52; dir. Wheaton archeol. expdn., excavating site of ancient Dothan in Arab Palestine, 1953-60, 62, 64-; exec. dir. Nr. E. Sch. Archaeology, Mt. of Olives, Jerusalem, Jordan, 1962--; archeol. editor Sunday School Times, 1942--; prof. archaeology and history Bemidji State Coll., Minn., 1966--. Member Soc. Bibl. Lit., Nat. Assn. Bible Instrs., Nat. Soc. Arts and Letters (nat. lit. chmn. 1966--). Author: Archeology and Bible History, rev. edit., 1969. Author articles on Bibl. archeology. Home: Freehaven, Park Rapids, Minn. 56470

Dr. Joseph Paul Free, 63, a resident of the Park Rapids area since 1963 and Professor of History and Archeology at Bemidji State College since 1966, died Saturday at the Bemidji Hospital.

Dr. Free was prominent in the field of archeology as an author and researcher. His text, "Archeology and Bible History," was published in 1950 and revised in 1969 and he also authored nearly 100 articles published in magazines concerning the subject of archeology. He was a staff member at the American School of Oriental Research as well as Executive Director of the Near East School of Archeological Studies at the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem and Jordan from 1966 until the time of his death.

The late professor was born to Joseph L. and Enna Free on Oct. 1, 1911 in Cleveland, Ohio and attended Stony Brook Prep School for Boys at Stony Brook, Long Island, N.Y. before attending Princeton University. He received an A.B. degree in European Civilization and Languages from Princeton in 1932 and held a Princeton M.A. degree which he was awarded in 1933 and a Princeton Ph.D. degree awarded in 1935.

On Aug. 20, 1935, he married Ruby Aldrich and that year accepted a position as assistant professor of archeology and Near East studies at Wheaton (Ill.) College. After seven years he was promoted to full professor in the field while at the same time directing and participating in field studies in archeology that took him to Jerusalem and the Near East. He did research and excavation at Dibbon in Arab Palestine in 1951 and 1952 and became director of Wheaton Archeological Expeditions at the site of Dothan, then in Arab Palestine, from 1953 to 1960 and again in both 1962 and 1964.

He did postgraduate studies at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago between 1940-1948.

Dr. Free and his wife purchased a summer home 11 miles north of Park Rapids in 1945 and in the fall of 1965 he left Wheaton to accept a position at Bemidji State College where he organized the archeology program.

Dr. Free served as a member of the Near East Archeology Society and the National Association of Instruction, was a charter member of the Evangelical Theological Society and served in offices of the National Society of Arts and Letters including National Literature Chairman in 1966.

Preceding him in death were his parents and a brother, James Lamb Free of Santa Barbara, Calif. He is survived by his wife, Ruby; daughter, Mrs. Anita Wilhelmi of Bismarck, N.D.; a son, David, of Park Rapids; a foster son, Abed Ismail of Elgin, Ill.' two sisters, Mrs. Helen Moore and Mrs. Lucille Jones, both of Pasadena, Calif.; and five grandchildren.

Dr. R. Laird Harris and Dr. Howard Cleveland officiated at 2 p.m. services Tuesday at Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids.

Organist was Mrs. Larry Cheney and soloist, Mrs. Earl Wagner, sang "The Lord's Prayer" and "How Beautiful Upon the Mountain."

Pallbearers were Curtis Cookson, Dr. E. R. Gamm, Frank Knutson, Carlton Anderson, Eugene Giese and Robert McClelland.

Interment was in Greenwood Cemetery, Park Rapids, with the Jones Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

The family prefers memorials to the Heart Fund.

By The Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections Staff

Wheaton, Milton township, DuPage county, ED 22-71, Sheet 11B, Family 244, Lines 60-63, NARA microfilm publication T627, Roll 798

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