Table of Contents
A special shout out to Bradford “Nick” Freeman Jr. and Marilyn (Ames) Freeman who are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 3. They were married at Marblehead’s Old North Church. Life-long residents of the town, the couple went through public school here and have remained committed to each other and to the Marblehead community ever since.
Nick served in the United States Coast Guard and found himself on the ice-covered, 310’ cutter Casco in the North Atlantic before returning to Marblehead and going to work with the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier, a position he held for decades. Additionally, he served for many years as an elected member of the Water & Sewer Commission. He frequently and proudly refers to himself as “Marblehead’s biggest know-it-all” – his family and close friends agree!
Marilyn worked at a bank before taking on what Nick always considered the most important and most difficult job of all, raising their son, and running the house-hold. Later, she would go on to become the long-time office administrator for the church where they were married. She also donated countless hours of heart and soul, working with Penny Wigglesworth and her Penny Bear Company and Linda Hall’s Parkinson’s Support Group. Later in life, she took up playing handbells in the church’s bell choir. Through the years, the couple worked together at their small family businesses of snow plowing and firewood sales, all to make a better life and give their son better than they had themselves. They enjoyed spending time with family and friends and in particular, working the family’s large blueberry farm in Maine. Some of their happiest days were spent together in the solitude of the fields.
As a couple, they exemplify commitment to one another. They created a loving, stable, quiet, nurturing home, providing everything their son needed and instilling the value of hard work and saving for the future. Together, they have shown what a marriage can and should be if people are willing to commit to one another and work together, all the while treating each other with love, and respect. The last six decades have seen some grey hairs, wrinkles and a variety of aches and pains along with the loss of loved ones, but through it all, they have remained the best of friends and confidants, facing every challenge and success together.
Hopefully they will have many, many, many more anniversaries to come.
With much love, gratitude and admiration,
Matt Freeman and Lisa Anastos
