Mary Lyle Freeman

Mary Lyle Freeman (nee Parsons), age 89, of Wayne passed away peacefully at her home in Cedar Crest Village on Friday January 31, 2020 while in the presence of her loving family.

Mary was born and raised in Silver Spring MD, just outside of Washington DC.  She was one of four children to Douglas and Lyle Parsons. After graduating from high school with the class of 1947, Mary was accepted and attended Davis & Elkins College in West Virginia.  After some time at Davis & Elkins, Mary’s parents convinced her to leave college and attend secretarial school.  

While at Davis & Elkins, Mary’s sister introduced her to a handsome young man by the name of George Freeman.  The couple attended a fraternity dance on their first date and hit it off great. Mary and George dated for a time and as fate would have it, they fell in love and were married in November of 1950.  

George and Mary settled in Washington DC, spending about two years there until they needed to relocate to Boulder, CO for George’s employment with the US government.  While living in Boulder the couple welcomed their first child. Unfortunately, George's employment took him somewhere far off and Mary moved back to Maryland with her parents for a short time.  When George arrived back in Washington DC after a short time, the couple welcomed their second child.  The couple then moved to the Packanack Lake section of Wayne where they welcomed their next two children. George and Mary raised their family in Packanack Lake and remained in Wayne for the next fifty years until moving to Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains in 2010.      

Immediately after getting married Mary devoted herself to being a homemaker, caring for and nurturing her family.  In 1975, Mary decided to get back into the workplace. Mary was offered a position as a clerk at the Wayne Police Department.  She worked there for the next ten years until her retirement in 1985.  

Mary was an active member of the Packanack Lake community.  She was a member of the Packanack Lake Golf Club for many years.  She also enjoyed playing Bridge with the ladies in her neighborhood and bowled in the women’s bowling league in Wayne as well.  Mary and her family were members of the Packanack Lake Community Church for many years. Mary was also an avid gardener, growing an assortment of flowers and tomatoes in her yard throughout the years.  Her family also remembers their yearly vacations to Deep Creek Lake in Maryland where they treasured family reunions. She was fun loving, social and had an infectious smile. Everyone that knew Mary loved being around her.   Mary was a very special person who touched the lives of many people, she will be missed by everyone that knew her.

Mary is survived by her husband George Freeman of Wayne, three sons Dan Freeman and his wife Almeda of Pequannock, Richard Freeman and his wife Linda of Swartswood, NJ, and Brad Freeman and his wife Diane of Whitehouse Station, NJ, one daughter Joyce Lorusso and her husband Phil of Pompton Lakes, eight grandchildren; Dawn McDonough, Danielle Wallin, Reese Freeman, Lyle Freeman, George Lorusso, Maddie Freeman, Nikki Freeman, and Sammy Freeman, and four great grandchildren; Brenda McDonough, Colleen McDonough, Maggie Wallin, and Ryan Wallin.  Mary was predeceased by her two brothers Bill Parsons and Bob Parsons, and her sister Margie Brinckman.

Those planing to make donations in Mary’s name are asked to consider the Wayne Animal Shelter, 201 Pompton Plains Crossroad, Wayne, NJ 07470.