Lloyd Hunter Freeman, 92, of Milan, rejoined his fishing buddies, Hank Voss, Fred Tucker, Dink Roedl and Ikie Huntington, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at Timber Creek Village Assisted Living of Shelbyville. He was born December 30, 1932, in Pierceville, the son of Edwin Bradford and Geneva Barbara (Nead) Freeman.
Lloyd is survived by his daughter, Michelle Butler and husband, Scott, of Charles City, Virginia; son, Michel “Mike” Freeman and wife, Lana, of Morristown; grandsons, Edward Freeman and wife, Erica, and Michel “Mikey” Freeman II; several great and great-great grandchildren; niece, Roberta Sailing; cousins, Ronnie Nead and wife, Joanne and Linda (Nead) Cash. He is also survived by his Michigan family and fishing buddies, Bob Waldron and Dale Waldron.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Elizabeth Sailing; and longtime companion, Winifred LeVernier.
In 1951, he graduated from Milan High School. He was an avid sports fan. He grew up with, and was good friends with the fellas on the 54 team, especially the boys from Pierceville aka “The Alley Cats”. The irony was, he was serving in the army during the championship years. His mom was vigilant about clipping all the newspaper articles about the games–regular season and through the tournaments–to mail to him. When he came home, Lloyd had a very complete archive of the two seasons. He eventually mounted the clippings into a series of posters and donated the collection to The 54 Museum. Any Saturday you might find him watching Notre Dame football, or on Sunday, The Colts. But his first love was baseball. He earned his Milan Letterman’s jacket playing baseball and was on the championship summer league team, The Braves. His exploits on the field lead him as far as a try out to be a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds (he loved to tell that story!).
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in France. He was a mechanic for the motor pool, at the end of the Korean Conflict.
Lloyd formerly worked at White’s Feed and Chick Store from 1956 to 1971, he then owned and operated Freeman Automotive Repair from 1960 to 1980. He retired on May 30, 2003, with 33 ½ years of service, as a school bus driver for Milan. He was a Milan sports fan throughout his life. He was always ready to drive a fan bus and drove many teams to games and tournaments.
Lloyd was a passionate fisherman. He was most known for crappie and blue gill fishing at Versailles State Park, Brush Creek and Butlerville. Lloyd loved to fish for salmon and lake trout in Lakes Michigan and Huron. Enjoyed fishing the inland lakes of Northern Michigan, especially his favorite “Burt Lake”.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 pm, Friday, February 21, 2025, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville.
A Remembrance Service will follow at 7 pm.
Interment will be at Mud Pike Cemetery in Ripley County on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 10:30 am., with Rev. Harris Long officiating, friends may gather at the cemetery one-half hour prior. Military graveside rites will be conducted by the local military committee.
Lloyd’s family would like to express a special Thank you to his close friends and neighbors, Steve and Debbie Roberts of Burt Lake, Michigan. And a “Thanks a Million” the dedicated staff of Timber Creek Village Assisted Living in Shelbyville for the love, care and companionship for the past two years.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Milan ’54 Museum, 201 W. Carr St., PO Box 54, Milan, IN 47031.
Online condolences may be shared with Lloyd’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.