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Fletcher Foundation Loses Valued Board Member & Friend |
Dr. Claire Freeman, longtime board member of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation, died Saturday, August 17. |
Dr. Claire E. Freeman, board member of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation since 1982, died on Saturday, August 17, 2002, at Rex Hospital in Raleigh. A long-time Raleigh high school science teacher, Freeman was godmother to Jim Goodmon, fellow board member and President & CEO of Capitol Broadcasting Company, grandson of A.J. Fletcher for whom the Foundation is named.
Freeman graduated valedictorian of the class of 1939 at Peace College and then received a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and later a master’s and doctorate degrees in science and education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She proceeded to work as a junior chemist and bacteriologist at the North Carolina State Laboratory of Hygiene during the 1940’s and then began her teaching career at the U.S. Army Dependent Schools in Baumholder Germany in 1961. She returned to the United States to continue teaching first at Needham Broughton High School and then Sanderson High School for a combined 36 years.
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FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS for Dr. Claire Freeman:
Graveside service – Tues., Aug. 20, at 9:30am at Oakwood Cemetery. A m
Memorial service – 11am at Hayes Barton Baptist Church at 11 am (Reception to follow memorial service)
MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hayes Barton Baptist Church Capital Campaign, 1800 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, North Carolina 27608; The Healing Place, 1251 Goode Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603; the S.P.C.A. of Wake County, 219 Garner Business Court, Garner, North Carolina 27529; Peace College, 15 East Peace Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604-1194; or a charity of one’s choice.
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Freeman received many awards and special appointments during her years in Raleigh, including having the Dr. Claire E. Freeman Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory at Peace College dedicated to celebrating her service to the college and her excellence as a science teacher.
Freeman served the community on a variety of boards and committees including the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Beta chapter, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science. She was also a member of Hayes Barton Baptist Church.
Earlier this year, the Fletcher Foundation lost another longtime board member, Scottie Stephenson. She died April 15, after 58 years of service to Capitol Broadcasting Company, the bulk of which were spent as Corporate Secretary.
“Both Scottie Stephenson and Claire Freeman brought wisdom, experience and a sense of humor to the A.J. Fletcher Foundation,” said Executive Director Tom McGuire. “They were our link to the beginnings of the foundation, and to the ideals that Mr. Fletcher envisioned. Both personally and professionally, we all feel a deep sense of loss.”
Freeman is survived by her sister, Doris Hunter Freeman, and her godsons, Goodmon and his brother, Ray.
