Obituary of Douglas Elwood Freeman
Douglas Elwood Freeman
1961 - 2026
It is with profound sadness and love that the family of Douglas Elwood Freeman shares the news of his passing on May 29, 2026.
Doug was born July 15, 1961 in Red Deer, Alberta, to proud parents Margaret Ann (Peggy) & Dennis Freeman, he was the 1st grandchild of Leora & Eldon Thompson.
Doug grew up living throughout Alberta, living in Red Deer, Calgary, Okotoks, Crowsnest Pass and his final years were spent in Taylor, BC, surrounded by family.
Doug enjoyed playing hockey, baseball, tennis, swimming, playing pool with the local team and especially enjoyed watching car racing, hockey, and Blue Jays baseball. He was very creative with his hands and enjoyed painting ceramic steins and coloring massive doodle art posters. Over his lifetime he enjoyed collecting his own coin & rare bottle collection that he could add to his father’s collection. Doug enjoyed listening to music, with memories of going to a KISS concert in Lethbridge prior to the band becoming famous worldwide. He enjoyed spending time with friends, good conversation, laughter and having a good smoke session.
Doug was more than a sibling-he was a part of who we are. From shared jokes to silent support, his presence shaped our world. Now that he is gone, we honour the life that he lived, and the bond we will always share.
He lived his life with dignity, strength, humour, heart of gold and solid work ethic.
Doug’s presence in our lives was a gift and his memory will continue to guide us.
He was predeceased by his mother Peggy, father Dennis, and his brother Jim.
He is survived by his siblings Susan, Lorne, Teena, and his nephews and nieces, Jordy, Tyler, Travis, Kendra, Christopher, Ashley and their families.
Pennies from Heaven
People say that when you
‘Find a penny, pick it up’
And all day long, the saying goes,
You’ll have the best of luck
But what if all the pennies
That you notice and you find
Aren’t coins that have been dropped
Or that somebody left behind?
What if they were never coins
Intended to be spent
But someone reaching out to you
With pennies heaven-sent?
‘Cause maybe all those pennies
Are a copper-coloured love
Raining down towards the ground
From silver clouds above
So go out and collect them,
Fill your pockets with their weight
Collect them from the sunrise
And until it’s getting late
Then you can store the pennies
All together in a jar
The price of love collecting there
Like monetary stars
And as you let them gather then,
They might remind you how
That copper-coloured cost of love
Is always with you now
But so is love itself because
Coins always have two sides
We pay for love with grief
But that’s because the love survives
So, when you see a penny,
Lying, glinting on the floor
And something tells you this is not
Like coins you’ve found before
Then trust the heart that tells you
‘Find a penny, pick it up’
And know that in your pocket
All day long you’ll carry love
*****
Becky Hemsley 2024
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Douglas to the Bellevue Veterinary Hospital - Click Here to donate.
