Rev. Ann Doreen (Parker) Freeman Of Malden, passed away in the presence of the Lord on April 30, 2020. She is 79 years old.
Doreen was born, raised, and lived in Malden, Massachusetts her entire life. She was preceded in death by her parents Elton W. Parker and Edith W. (Hill) Parker and had no siblings.
She is Pastor, Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. After graduating from Malden High School in 1959, Doreen went to work as a Secretary. In 1963, she married Richard B. Freeman of Malden and together have four children: Ann O’Connor married to Frank of Windham , Todd R. Freeman, Beth Blatchford married to Jim of Melrose, and Gail Straker married to Sheldon of Fall River.
Doreen is the cherished grandmother of Allison and Matthew O’Connor, Jill Leary Schwering and her husband Jason, Todd N. Freeman and his wife Kourtney, Emily, Elizabeth, and Lillian Blatchford, and great grandmother of Zachery Cronin and Adeline Freeman. As the only child Doreen embraced the “chaos” of the large family she and Richard built and loved nothing more than having everyone together.
As a child Doreen was always involved in music as a singer and pianist, and her love of music continued for the rest of her life. She was a member of the Malden High School Choral Art Society, Choral Art Alumni Society, the First Baptist Church Choir, and the OPA Temple Choir. Doreen and Richard established their camp in Ocean Park, Maine in the 1970’s and continued to enjoy the OPA community for the rest of her life.
While raising her children she volunteered at Malden Hospital and as a Substitute Teacher at the Linden School. She was a long time member of the First Baptist Church of Malden where she directed a Children’s Choir, led many Vacation Bible Schools, taught Sunday School, sang in the Choir, and served on many boards and committees.
At 43, Doreen went to college first at Bunker Hill Community College (A.S.) and then at UMass Boston (B.A.). Upon receiving a call from God to the ministry she then completed her schooling with a Masters in Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School. Doreen went on to become the Pastor of The Community Baptist Church, Medford MA where she served from 1993 until her retirement in 2008.
Doreen fought a good fight with Alzheimer’s Disease from 2015 to 2020. Her family is grateful for the loving care she received during her final months, and for the outpouring of support from friends and family both near and far.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions a private graveside service will be held and donations can be made to the First Baptist Church of Malden, 493 Main St., Malden MA 02148. A celebration of her life will be held at First Baptist Church at a later date.