Curtis Bergey Freed

Curtis Bergey Freed, age 92, of Knoxville, Tennessee, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at Fort Sanders Hospital in Knoxville. He was the beloved husband of Shirley Elaine (Kulp) Freed, with whom he shared 69 years of marriage.

Curtis was born on May 15, 1933, in Mainland, Pennsylvania, to William and Ida Freed. He was a devoted father to two sons, Philip Freed (Sheila) and Frederick Freed (Connie), and a loving grandfather to eight grandchildren: Justin Freed (Wendy), Daniel Freed (Erin), Stephen Freed, Christine Martin (Nathanael), Jessica Hitefield (Michael), Melissa Owens (Juston), Rebekah Rankin (Deryk), and Emily Burnes (Ryan). He was also blessed with 18 great-grandchildren, along with many cherished nieces and nephews.

Curtis was the sixth of nine children and is survived by two younger siblings, Ralph Freed of Pennsylvania and Lorene Derstine (Ivan) of Pennsylvania.

He was the first in his family to attend college and graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Curtis made history as the first male nurse to graduate from the Rutgers School of Nursing. He began his career at Orange Memorial Hospital in Orange, New Jersey, where he developed a passion for psychiatric nursing, believing deeply in caring for the whole person: mind, body, and spirit.

In 1972, Curtis furthered his education by enrolling in the Vanderbilt University School of Psychiatric Nursing, earning his master’s degree. He went on to serve as a professor of nursing at Belmont University in Nashville, later teaching at the University of Tennessee at Martin and Tennessee Tech University. While at Tennessee Tech, he established the university’s first graduate nursing program, a lasting legacy.

In 1985, Curtis opened a private therapy practice in Middle Tennessee, which flourished for many years. In 1990, he and Shirley relocated to Nashville, where he continued his counseling work well into his early eighties. In 2020, they moved to Knoxville to be closer to family. Though he largely closed his practice, he continued seeing a small number of clients by phone and Zoom until November 2025, when a car accident caused him to pause those services.

Curtis was a published author in professional nursing magazines and medical journals and was a frequent speaker at conferences. In the late 1980s, he hosted a radio program focused on mental health, addressing both personal and cultural issues and interviewing a wide range of guests.

Family was Curtis’s greatest earthly joy. He delighted in time spent with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, eagerly playing on the floor with them, throwing a ball, or running outside, even in his later years. He had a special love for ice cream and always kept a variety on hand for visiting grandchildren.

Curtis also loved to bake, especially pies, and often dreamed aloud of opening a bakery or selling his baked goods. While that dream never became reality, his pies were a beloved staple at family gatherings.

When his sons were young, the family enjoyed annual wilderness camping trips in the Adirondack Mountains, including climbing one of the mountains each year. Curtis was an excellent outdoorsman and camper, once even rigging a makeshift water system by siphoning river water into the campsite, a feat fondly remembered by his family.

In his younger years, Curtis enjoyed coaching Little League and church softball, riding his motorcycle, and staying active outdoors. That vitality remained with him throughout his life.

Above all, Curtis was a man of deep and strong faith in God, and he was a committed follower of Jesus Christ. He served faithfully in his church through leadership roles, teaching youth and adults, leading mission trips, and serving wherever needed. Alongside Shirley, he shepherded many young people, several of whom later became pastors, elders, and deacons. He lived a tremendous testimony of Christlikeness, and his actions, reactions, decisions, and values were grounded in and reflected the teachings of Christ found in the Bible. He loved to read his Bible, and his faith and relationship with Jesus were his highest priority in life.

Curtis’s final moments were spent with his beloved wife, and his last words expressed his love for her. He passed peacefully and was carried into eternity, where he will be enjoying the presence of Christ and singing the praises of his Lord and Savior.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 24, at 3:00 PM at Berry Highland Memorial Funeral Home, 5315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Family will receive friends beginning at 2:30 PM, with extended fellowship following the service.