Clem Freese

Clem Freese, 90, of Jackson passed away Thursday, Jan. 16, 2003, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

Clem was born Nov. 26, 1912, in Cape Girardeau, son of Clemens L. and Josephine Roling Freese. He and Suenell Wissman were married April 11, 1936, in Cape Girardeau.

Clem attended St. Mary's High School in Cape Girardeau and was a member of the first graduating class. He then worked on the family dairy farm south of Cape Girardeau, and he later drove for East Texas Motor Freight.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946.

Upon returning to Cape Girardeau Clem worked for the former Charlie Hood Construction Co., primarily constructing commercial buildings in the downtown Cape area. In 1978 he retired from full-time construction but continued to work part-time on his own.

Clem was a 53-year member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and its Bishop-Timon KC Council. He was a charter member of Carpenters Local 1770 in Cape Girardeau, receiving his 50-year pin in 2002; a member of Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post in Jackson; and a lifetime member of VFW in Cape Girardeau. He formerly served as a 4-H leader and as a Democratic committeeman for Fruitland Township.

Loving survivors include his wife; a son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Sharon Freese of Jackson; two daughters and a son-in-law, Norma and Ben Cooper of Lake St. Louis, Mo., Jan Freese of Richmond Heights, Mo.; seven grandchildren, Keith and Steve Cooper, Nancy Ledbetter, Tara Freese, Kristi Deneke, Lindsey Freese and Jackie Nettleton; and seven great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday. Parish prayers will be said at 4.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Immaculate Conception Church. Monsignor Edward Eftink will officiate. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, or the charity of your choice.