FRED J. FREELAND, 98, of Fort Wayne died yesterday at home.
The West Virginia native retired in 1954 as a minister for the Assembly of God Church after 55 years. He had served churches in Missouri, Iowa and Illinois.
After retirement, he had missions to the American Indians in New Mexico and Arizona, and traveled the United States as a spokesman for the Assemblies of God Benevolence Society.
He was instrumental in helping his son, Dick, establish the Pizza Hut business in the Fort Wayne area. The business, started in 1972, now includes 39 restaurants in 15 counties.
Surviving are his wife, Mildred; a daughter, Elenor Mathis of Tucson, Ariz.; sons, Richard J. of Fort Wayne and Fred J. of Mexico, Mo.; stepdaughters, Carol Popp-Bennett of Fort Wayne, Elaine VanLue of Winter Springs, Fla., and Marguerite Frost of Mundelein, Ill.; a stepson, Robert Mitchell of Orlando, Fla.; 20 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. tomorrow in Calvary Temple Worship Center, with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park. Calling is 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. today in D.O. McComb & Sons Lakeside Park Funeral Home, 1140 Lake Ave., and 1 to 2 p.m. tomorrow in the church.
Preferred memorials are gifts to Turnstone Center for Disabled Children and Adults Inc. or Assemblies of God Benevolence Department for Retired Clergy in Springfield, Mo.
News-Sentinel, The (Fort Wayne, IN) - December 1, 1992
Family Members
Spouse
Ruth Margaret Cheek Freeland*
1895–1925
Mildred M Roberts Mitchell*
1902–1993 (m. 1980)
Helena Freeland*
1904–1978
Children
Richard Freeland*
1939–2013
