Don was raised in Oxnard, California and studied at Ventura Junior College. He later graduated from the University of Oregon with a Business degree. Mr. Freeman also served honorably in the US Army, obtaining his discharge in 1956 as a corporal.
On January 12, 1973, Mr. Freeman married his wife Charlotte, having met at a Parents Without Partners singles dance, and they were together until Charlotte’s passing in August of this year.
In his working life, Don was the owner of Mack’s Market, a small grocery from 1966 to 1977. He then worked for Multnomah County as a warehouseman for 17 years before retiring.
He was a founding member of the Gateway Elks Club.
He was known to his family as “Grandpa Quack-Quack”, because he always made a sound like Donald Duck when around kids. He was a wonderful card player all the way to the end of his life. Even with advanced dementia having set in, he was a force to be reckoned with at poker, taking everyone’s chips every time. Same with fishing – everyone would use the same bait and tackle, but Don would catch fish even when no one else did. He was an avid outdoorsman and family man and was happiest when camping or fishing.
Mr. Freeman is survived by his sister, Lahna Rasmussen and brother, Richard Freeman; children Deborah Freeman, Sean Freeman, and daughter-in-law Jean; and by his grandchildren Serena Haneline, Sierra Davis, McKenzie Johnson, and Hunter Freeman; and great-grandchildren Joshua Davis, Isaac Davis, Owen Davis, and Liam Johnson.
A Funeral Service will be held at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, 11801 SE Mt Scott Blvd. in Portland on October 19, 2026, at 12:00 pm. A committal service will follow at 1:00 pm in Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery. Following this service, a time to gather with the family in the Lincoln Memorial reception room for refreshments and a sharing of memories will take place.
