Clara Eleanor Elizabeth (Martin) Freeman, 92, died peacefully on February 14, 2023 at
the home of her daughter in St. Louis, Mo.

Clara was born February 11, 1931 in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Raymond and
Bess (Grisham) Martin. Her mother died days after her birth. She was raised by her
grandparents, Henry and Mary Etta (Lucy) Martin on a farm on the Butler and Ripley
County line, near Fairdealing.

After her grandfather’s death in 1939, she moved to Poplar Bluff with her grandmother,
and graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1949.

She married the late Clyde Freeman on August 14, 1949 in the parsonage of the First
Methodist Church in Poplar Bluff. She was deeply affected by the death of her
husband’s parents, Andrew and Mattie (Hudson) Freeman, in a tornado just four months
after their wedding.

The couple spent five years travelling around the US, where Clyde worked as a mapper
for the U.S. Geological Survey. They lived in Texas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Indiana
and Florida.

In 1954, they returned to Poplar Bluff, living on the farm that had belonged to Clyde’s
parents. There they raised nine children. Clyde died in 1990, after 41 years of marriage.
Clara was very active in the Girl Scouts, where she served as a scout leader, a
Neighborhood Chairman, and a board member of the Cotton Boll Council. She was a
member of the Oak Grove Homemaker’s Club for almost 70 years. She attended both
the First Methodist Church in Poplar Bluff, as well as Grace Methodist Church.
She enjoyed reading, watching birds in her garden, flowers, sewing, quilting, and
embroidery.

She travelled extensively, including to England, France, Finland, Russia and Estonia.
She visited both Hong Kong and mainland China, where she walked on the Great Wall
of China.

In addition to her husband and parents, Clara was also preceded in death by her sister,
Vivian Goddard, and her brothers, Robert Martin and Joseph Martin.

She is survived by her nine children: Raymond Freeman, PhD (Cecilia), Houston, TX;
James Freeman, PhD, Batavia, IL; David Freeman (Patty), St. Peter’s, MO; Richard
Freeman (Ginny), Johnson City, TN; Susan Corbett (John), St. Louis, MO; Ellen
Freeman, Chesterfield, MO; Elizabeth Copeland (late Kevin), Independence, MO;
Stephen Freeman, Merida, Mexico; and Carol Trower (Dave), Overland Park, KS, as
well as 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service in Poplar Bluff will be planned in the Spring.

Memorial donations in Clara’s name may be made to Heifer International,
https://www.heifer.org.