W. Marvin Freed went home to be with his glorious Lord and Savior on Sunday morning, July 29, 2012, at the Gatehouse (Hospice Unit) in Williamsport, Pa.
He had served for 47 years in pastoral ministry in the United Methodist Church.
Pastor Freed was born on May 15, 1927, in Walker, W.Va., to George E. and Myrtle Buckner Freed.
He was licensed to preach in 1944 through his recommending church, Vaught Chapel in Leachtown, W.Va. He graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1945 and served pastoral charges in Lockhart, Belleville, Big Tygart, Grafton and Watson from 1946-1959, all in the West Virginia Conference of the Methodist Church. The Rev. Freed graduated with a B.A. degree from Fairmont State College in 1959. He would serve one more year at Cheat Lake (outside Morgantown, W.Va.) in the WV Conference before moving to Maryland and the Baltimore Conference to attend Wesley Theological Seminary (DC) where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity/Master of Divinity Degree in 1963. There he pastored the Mt. Nebo Charge.
In 1962, the conference boundaries would be redrawn and he would become a part of the Central Pennsylvania (now the Susquehanna) Conference of the United Methodist Church where he would remain until his retirement in 1992. During those years, he served, as an ordained elder, the pastoral charges of Ramey, Lemont (outside State College), Axeman-Weaver (outside Bellefonte) and Yeagertown/Rhodes Memorial (in the Lewistown area). After retirement, he would serve one more year at Gaines (Pine Creek Valley Charge).
The Rev. Freed had a heart for evangelism and biblical preaching, preaching for a number of revival and evangelistic services across the years. He was a diligent pastor, well-loved by each church he served. He also worked at a variety of other jobs to support his family including working in radio, a variety of department stores, and as a campus patrolman at Pennsylvania State University. He loved baseball and football, following the Pittsburgh Pirates in the summer and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Penn State Nittany Lions, and the WVU Mountaineers in the fall. In the past few years, he could be seen at local Williamsport Crosscutters games.
Pastor Freed loved his family. He is survived by three sons, Larry (Sharon) Freed of Williamsport, Pa., Wayne Freed of Tipton, Pa., and Richard (Sharon) Freed of Bowling Green, Ky.; seven grandchildren, Brian (Janelle) Freed of Dillsburg, Pa., Christy (Dave) Hall of Williamsport, Pa., Shawn (Carrie Jo) Freed of Syracuse, N.Y., Amy (Wade) Stubanas of State College, Pa., Teresa (Mark) McCarty of Albany, N.Y., Melissa Freed of State College, Pa., and Adam Freed of Bowling Green, Ky. He particularly loved and took pride in his eight great-grandchildren, Colin McCarty of Albany, N.Y., Joseph, Nathaniel and Isaac Freed of Dillsburg, Pa., Eva, Felicity and Gabe Hall of Williamsport, Pa., and Bella Freed of Syracuse, N.Y. The Rev. Freed also has two surviving sisters, Evelyn Stutler from Ohio and a twin sister, Marjorie States, living in Missouri.
The Rev. Freed's memorial service will be 11:30 a.m. Friday at Fillmore United Methodist Church, Bellefonte, Pa., with several pastors assisting in the service. Visitation will be Thursday from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. and from 10-11:30 a.m. Friday prior to the memorial service. All visitation will be at Fillmore United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Meyers Cemetery, Bellefonte, Pa.
Arrangements are under the direction of Wetzler Funeral Service Inc., Bellefonte Pa.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wetzlerfuneralhome.com
