July 1, 1930 — Sept. 24, 2007
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Richard Lester Freeman was born in Montrose on July 1, 1930, the son of Lester and Pearl Cummings Freeman. He was the great grandson of pioneer residents, Andrew and Mary Freeman, who came to the Uncompahgre Valley in 1883. He attended the country school of Kinikin Heights through the eighth grade. Dick graduated from Montrose County High School with the Class of 1948. He was the class president in his sophomore and junior years. He received the Townsend scholarship and attended Denver University earning a degree in commercial art.
Dick married Alice Bickford in 1950 and they had a son, Richard Scott Freeman. The marriage ended in divorce.
He had a sign shop in Denver and part of his work was doing signs for King Soopers. He was drafted by the army in 1954 and served in Anchorage, Alaska. He was given a hardship discharge in October of 1955 following his father’s heart attack. Dick returned to the ranch, learning the ranch operation before his father passed away in 1962.
Dick was married to Dona Mullikin Starbuck on Feb. 19, 1957, in Montrose. The old Kinikin Heights School was moved to the ranch and it became their home.
His interests were many and each one meant a lot to him. He enjoyed the ranching, music (especially Frank Sinatra), high school wrestling, bowling, poker games with friends and family, class reunions, climbing mountain peaks, and caring for his animals that seemed to follow him everywhere. He was a Bronco fan and was able to enjoy their win on Sept. 16.
Dick loved the mountains and the years spent on the Big Cimarron at Freeman’s cow camp moving cows, having picnics, and climbing the mountains. He worked many years with the Simmental Association promoting the Simmental cattle.
The painting career was put aside, but it didn’t take too much persuasion to get him to do signs for the Riverside fair booths, decorations for class reunions, signs for bull sales, covers for three of Dona’s books, and whatever other projects that required art work. Despite his battle with Parkinsons he wanted to renew his love of art and painted a landscape of the San Juan Range. It took him a little over a year, but he did finish that painting and had recently started sketching to do a painting of Moses.
Survivors include his wife, Dona; three sons: Richard Scott and Cindy Freeman; Harvey and Sheryl Starbuck; Greg Noel and Charlene Freeman; three daughters: Diana (Starbuck) and Tony Soong; Karen (Starbuck) and Rick Dunlap; and Terri (Freeman) Brewer. There are 16 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Richard was very proud of the six children and, over the years, many wonderful memories were created. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Donald in 1955; and nephew David (Freeman) Lutz.
Services to celebrate Richard’s life will be held at the Montrose Christian Church on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 1:30 p.m.. Interment will follow at Grand View Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to the local Hospice and Pallative Care at P.O. Box 1804, Montrose, CO 81402. Arrangements are under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home and Crematory, 802 E. Main St., Montrose, CO (970) 249-2121.
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