Arthur Dale Freel
Arthur Dale Freel, 93, of The Harbors, Menominee/Millersburg, died Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at the Bay Area Medical Center, Marinette, Wisconsin.
Mr. Freel was born August 6, 1924, in Millersburg, the son of William J. and Anna W. (Peetz) Freel.
A 1941 Onaway High School graduate, Mr. Freel completed public school a year early due to skipping his year of kindergarten. He attended Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education. He went on to achieve a master’s degree in education from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and returned to MSU to receive a specialist’s degree in education administration. He taught school from 1950-1981, was a principal for the elementary, middle school and high school levels, and became the Millersburg School superintendent from 1957-1960.
Upon his retirement, he taught school and did missionary work on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona. Mr. Freel coached basketball, baseball, Little League and women’s softball in Michigan communities such as Dimondale and Millersburg. He took great pride and pleasure in helping others and positively impacted countless lives throughout his 93 years.
Mr. Freel married Margaret Maxine Crawford June 1, 1946, at the Onaway Baptist Church, achieving 69 years of marriage until her death in 2015.
Mr. Freel was an avid sports’ fan, particularly dedicated to the MSU Spartans and Detroit Tigers, Lions and Red Wings. A talented athlete himself, Mr. Freel played football and baseball, the latter of which was a lifelong passion of his. The only rival to his enjoyment of sports and family was his love of candy, donuts and ice cream, which he happily shared with his grandchildren. He loved crossword puzzles, traveling, researching his genealogy and working in his woodshop. He was a devoted Christian, spending time te
Mr. Freel is survived by his four children, Toni Cummings, Dr. A. Dale (Sheri) Freel, Rebecca (Randy) Walter and Vicki (Alex “Buzz”) Long; seven grandchildren, Michelle (Tony) Zambon, Emily Cummings, Scott (Michelle) Freel, Bryan Freel, Randall “R.J.” (Lisa) Walter, Raegen Walter and Mandi (Brian) Zemba; 12 great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Eva (Lyle) McDonald, Dorothy (Roger) Mercer and Fern (Reg) Hitchcock. He was preceded in death by his parents as well as seven brothers and a sister: Irwin, George, Billy, Johnnie, Ronnie, Earl, Ralph and Violet.
Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m., Friday, June 22, at the Chagnon Funeral Home in Onaway. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 23, at the Millersburg Methodist Church. Mr. Freel’s final resting place will be beside his wife at Riverside Cemetery in Millersburg.