Bruce Allan Freeman

The Reverend Bruce Allan Freeman, retired Episcopal priest, died April 13 in Olympia, WA. He was 66 and in declining health due to cancer.

Survivors include his wife, Dana Dahlgren Freeman, and his children, Audrey Larson (Clinton Larson), Nathaniel (Leah Clemente) and Carl (Virginia Rich Freeman); five grandchildren: Malakai, Avery, Cassian, Freya, and Josephine; and two sisters, Meredith Freeman-Caple (Scott Caple) and Jane Freeman (John Lynch). Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, the Reverend William Freeman and Carol Brickett Freeman, and his daughter Anna.

A celebration of life will be held on June 6 at 11:00 AM at the Parish of St. Matthew, Pacific Palisades, CA. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to Episcopal Relief & Development.

Bruce was born September 9,1959 in Boston MA. Bruce received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College and a Master of Divinity from the Episcopal Divinity School, in Cambridge, MA.

Bruce’s parish ministry included service at St. John’s in the Wilderness (White Bear Lake, MN); assistant rector at St. Christopher’s Church (Roseville, MN); and rector of St. John’s Church (Athol, MA), Church of the Epiphany (San Carlos, CA), Church of the Redeemer (Cincinnati, OH), and Parish of St. Matthew (Pacific Palisades, CA).

Bruce adored his wife Dana, who never ceased to make him laugh. He loved his children and grandchildren, who brought him joy and meaning. Bruce delighted in goofy humor, including being an early adopter of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. He enjoyed reading, playing and watching sports, and was an avid runner and birdwatcher. As a child, Bruce and his family moved to the White Earth Indian Reservation, in Naytahwaush, MN, which played a formative role in his future ministry and life. Bruce loved people and especially enjoyed baptisms, including baptizing his grandchildren. He was known for his entertaining, honest, and often comedic sermons as he interpreted the Gospel with a personal perspective, reminding us that nothing could separate us from the love of God. Bruce lived the Word of God in his work and life and inspired those who knew him.