JEAN EDWARDS FREEMAN 1942 - 2002 One of Jean's last postings at the Class of 1960 online club: I'm still in this world. Since having a new heart valve and pacemaker put in in December, I've had severe anemia, blood transfusions, an infection, allergies, and now heart fibrillations in the past month. But things are looking up and I'm doing great! Hope all is well with you. Jean Edwards Freeman (7/21/02) TO EVERYONE WHO'S LISTENING! MY SISTER, JEAN EDWARDS FREEMAN, NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS VERY VERY BAD. SHE IS IN THE HOSPITAL (ST JOSEPH IN HOT SPRINGS) AND IS VERY VERY CRITICAL! SHE COLLAPSED THIS MORNING AND IS IN A COMA AND ON LIFE SUPPORT. THE DOCTORS DON'T KNOW YET WHAT HAPPENED BUT IT IS RELATED TO HER HEART. THEY SAY THAT IF SHE WAKES UP AT ALL, IT WILL BE IN THE NEXT 48 - 72 HOURS, BUT THEY ARE NOT GIVING US MUCH HOPE. PLEASE PLEASE PRAY... DIANNE EDWARDS HENDERSON (Posted at 1961 Class Club 7/25/02) God Bless and be with all of you. Our prayers are with you. Please keep us posted. Mary Jo Avery and Johnny Bailey (7/25/02) Lady Di, We are all listening and we all have Jean in our thoughts and prayers. Please know that we are with you. Mike Drain (7/26/02) You all are in our prayers. God is our great physician. Miracles do still happen. We must not give up hoping. Love to all your family. Judy Huey (7/26/02) Lady Di, Jean's sister, posted on the 1961 site last night that Jean is in a coma at the St. Joseph Hospital in Hot Springs. Apparently, she collapsed yesterday morning. The problem is her heart. Dianne is asking for your prayers. The doctor's prognosis is not good at this point. She is in very, very critical condition. Mike (7/26/02) Oh my gosh Mike thanks for the update, she just posted for the first time I think last week in a long time and said she had been having trouble. Please tell them my prayers are with them and with Jean, please keep me posted of any developements. I'm leaving today for a short vacation trip will be home Tuesday. I'll try to check my emails while I'm gone. Thank you for keeping me posted on everyone. Judy (7/26/02) Judy, I am hoping Dianne posts something to let us know. Otherwise, I don't know how we will hear. Dianne is pretty good about letting us know. Do you have the messages go from the site to your email? Mike (7/26/02) She will be in my thoughts too. What a terrible time for her family. Bill Lamkins (7/26/02) Sounds really serious. Dianne said that the doctors are saying little hope right now. I will let you know if I hear something. And if you do, would appreciate the info also. Mike (7/26/02) You can e-mail Jean at St. Joseph's Hospital. Go to http://www.saintjosephs.com/patient/email/index.asp Send her a note right away. Bill I just spoke with Dianne on the phone. They had just done a brain scan and there was no activity. Jean is still on life support, but they don't hold out any hope of her recovering. I am sorry if I am not making much sense. I am a bit shaken by this news. Dianne told me that Jean was getting dressed to visit her mom who was in the hospital when her husband heard her fall. He rushed in and could not get a pulse. He started CPR and got a pulse, called for an ambulance and they rushed her to the hospital where they applied the paddles to get her heart started. It worked, but she went into a coma and is kept breathing by life support. Please, please pray for a miracle. I will keep you all informed when I learn anymore. Martha Chadwick Lindvall (7/26/02) Thank you for sending this message to me. Please keep me informed. Cherry Silliman (7/27/02) I am very saddened to hear about Jean's situation. My thoughts and prayers are for her and her family. Diane, I really hope the best for all of you and especially for Jean. James Wedsted (7/27/02) I am very sorry to hear about Jean. I am having a special prayer for her. If very one could stop at 6:00 P.M. tonight and said a pray for Jean. It would help. Frances Brady Fite (7/27/02) I bring this to you with a heavy heart. Jean expired earlier today. The funeral arrangements are with Hot Springs Funeral Home 1017 Central Street Hot Springs, AR 72901 (501) 623-8820 The viewing will be from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. The funeral will be on Monday at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral home Chapel. The burial will be in Malvern. In an earlier conversation with Dianne, she told me that Jean wanted to donate her organs. Isn't that just like her? She always wanted to help others. This is the address that I have for Jean. 740 Weston Rd. Hot Springs, AR 71313 (501) 767-2658 Email freeman@direclynx.net For those of you who don't know, Jean's husband is Dr. Robert K. Freeman. I am sure he would appreciate a note from you. Martha Chadwick Lindvall (7/27/02) Jean and I lost contact after our high school years. I had always liked her and we had a few dates in the 10th and 11th grades. She was always so pretty, cheerful and kind. 20 years went by before we saw each other at the Class Reunion in 1980. Then we met again at the 1990 Reunion. She was still the same - just aging gracefully like the rest of us. Then tragedy struck my family and my brother died of cancer last year. At the Malvern funeral home I viewed the register of visitors and there was Jean's name. She had taken the time from her life to come by and it provided unexpected solace in a terrible time. It was a typical act of kindness on her part. She had already left so I had no chance to thank her in person but did so by e-mail. Five months later I lost another brother who died at St. Joseph's in Hot Springs. A few days after returning home I received a note from Jean which included my brother's obituary from the Hot Springs newspaper. Jean's note said she suspected I may have had to leave town before it was published and she knew I would want it. And that was true and once again I was touched by an act of Jean's kindness. Last May I was in Malvern for a family reunion when I saw Jean for the final time. She and her husband were at the Clayton House at the same time as my daughter & I were dining. We chatted for awhile but they were with another couple and leaving so it was brief. My brother and Jean had similar types of heart surgery and they both died at St. Joseph's. Both passed away far too soon. She was such a kind classy person. Even tho I saw Jean only three times in the last 40 years, I will always cherish her memory for her kindness towards me. Bill Lamkins (7/28/02) You are absolute right! I only saw her at the reunions because I didn't live close to Malvern until recently. She was always gracious and kind and caring. Martha Chadwick Lindvall (7/28/02) Bill, I can echo your sentiments about Jean. She was one of the nicest people you will ever know. Gone far too quickly, but her footprints will be visible for a long time. Mike Drain (7/28/02) Bill, What a nice tribute you have written to Jean. I believe her family will cherish your words forever. I didn't know Jean well, but I knew her to be a nice person. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. Conrad Lawson (7/28/02) Thanks for the information in Jean Edwards. I am sorry about Jean's death. I did not know her well, but I do remember her. My high school annual got damaged in a flood several years ago, so I cannot go back and see the pictures to refresh my memory. Her married name was "Freeman". I assume that she had married one of the Freemans in High School with us. What was his name. Thanks for sending me the information on Jean. Jimmy Don Crowder (7/28/02) I just returned from my trip, I presume from this email that Jean passed away while I was away. I am so sorry and my prayers and love go out to her family at this terrible time. I remember her smile and beautiful eyes and sweet deposition more than anything I think. She will be sorely missed. Judy Moody (7/28/02) I hope you don't mind, but I received this site today from a prayer partner of mine and I would like to dedicate it to Jean Edwards Freeman. She was this person personified. I hope I don't offend anyone with this. God bless all. http://emily1.com/LordillFollow.htm Judy Moody (7/28/02) I am sorry to hear about Jean. I haven't seen her since our high school "girl" days but she must have been a very thoughtful and special lady. Nancy Gray McCullum (7/28/02) My Wife and I have been on a mini-vacation and are sad to learn this news upon our return. May God bless her family in their loss and remember the flowers of love she spread throughout her life. She would have wanted it that way, from how I remember her. We will see her again. Ken Gray (7/28/02) This is truly a tragedy in our lives. We all, at our age, feel that she was far too young to go. If we can learn anything from our friend Jean, we can become organ donors also providing you haven't already made those arrangements. It is very easy to do on your drivers license. I did that many years ago, before some of those parts started falling apart. There are so many things in our bodies that are usable after we no longer have use for them. We will all miss Jean, I remember seeing her at the 1960 reunion and we talked for awhile. She was still as beautiful as ever. My prayers are for those left behind who will miss her everyday and I pray that each day will be easier for you. God is good and will always be there for your comfort. Love to each of you, Judy Norcross Huey (7/29/02) I went to Jean's funeral today. It was not sad and dreary. Several people spoke about how Jean was always giving and caring. There was laughter and tears. I came away being blessed that I knew her. Martha Chadwick Lindvall (7/29/02) Jean was always a very special lady, even in high school. She was a classic beauty inside and out. She will be missed. Sorry I could not make it to the funeral but my prayers and thoughts were there for sure. Judy Moody (7/30/02) Thanks to All Thank you to everyone for all your prayers for my sister, Jean. Also, thank you for the cards and emails I have received, and thank you Martha for being at the service and your call. I didn't know you were there until I saw your posting. I don't know if anyone else from the class was there but if there was, thank you too. It means so much to know everyone cares. Bill, the posting you had about Jean was precious. She was a very caring person and lived to help other people. Mike, thank you for the memorial picture of Jean you posted. I printed it off on glossy picture paper and gave it to her husband, Rob. He was very pleased you did that. Thank you all again for everything. Dianne Edwards Henderson (7/30/02) Our thoughts and prayers have been with you - we just got back from the cabin - Johnny and I will continue to have you and your family and Jean's in our prayers. May God give you peace and strength. Mary Jo (Avery) and Johnny Bailey (7/30/02) Thank you Mary Jo, Jean spoke of you often. You were a good friend of hers. I appreciate your prayers and know they are sincere. Thanks for everything. Dianne (7/31/02) Lady Di, It is so good to see you back. As with everyone in this group, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time of grief. Mike Drain (7/31/02) You are entirely welcome. I can away from the service feeling blessed that I knew Jean. She will be missed by a great number of people. My prayers are with you and your family. Martha Chadwick Lindvall (7/31/02)