Class of 1949
1949 Maroon Spotlight
Walter Freese
F.F.A. ’46-’49; Wrestling ’47-’48.
1949 Graduation EditionPerry Daily Journal
Walter Harlin Freese, 17, has been honored with the junior master farmer’s degree and plans to begin farming after he spends four years at college in Okmulgee.
In school he has belonged to the Future farmers of America and is also a member of the Noble county chapter of Northwestern Oklahoma Grain association.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Freese, Perry rural route 2, Walter says that agriculture hsa been his favorite subject and he spends most of his spare time horseback riding.
Walter Harlin Freese
June 24, 1931 – September 12, 2016
Walter Harlin Freese, 85, passed away on Monday, September 12, 2016.
Born June 24, 1931, in Perry, Oklahoma, he was the son of Henry and Fern (Moore) Freese. Walter attended Lone Star grade school and began his freshman year at Hayward, Oklahoma. He graduated in 1949 from Perry High School. Walter was a member of Perry FFA. He attended Okmulgee Tech School for one year.
In 1951 Walter was drafted and served on the front lines in Korea from 1952-1953. After he returned from Korea he started work in the oilfield. He later became employed in Highway construction; working on I35. During this time, Walter was also engaged in farming.
On November 11, 1961, he married the former Genevieve Skluzacek. To this union, two children were born, Dayna Michelle and Darren Jay.
Walter served on the school board for White School and on the Lucien Rural Water District #1 and for 38 years on the Noble County Soil Conservation District. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Perry.
Walter was a man with many irons in the fire. He was a full time farmer/Rancher for 66 years while also doing dirt construction work running a bulldozer, scraper and grader. He built the pads for the local McDonalds, Braums, and Perry Memorial Hospital heli-pad.
Walter always had time to fit in his daily coffee breaks with his buddies, where they would contemplate all the worlds’ problems.
When he wasn’t working, he loved to weld and fabricate anything possible. He enjoyed target shooting with his kids, and loved the art of Blacksmithing. He also raised Brangus cattle until his passing.
Walter is survived by his wife of 54 years, Genevieve of the home; daughter Dayna Peterson and husband Rick of Jones, Oklahoma; son, Darren Freese and wife Charlotte of Sherman, Texas; sister Elaine McLean of Del City, Oklahoma, Nevalee Sewell and husband James of Guthrie, Oklahoma and Nevalyn Stotts of Stillwater, Oklahoma; one granddaughter Morgan Freese of Gunter Texas; and three step-grandsons, Rick Peterson Jr., Jason Peterson, and Cameron Clark; one step-grand daughter, Ashley Stark.
Walter was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Fern Freese and three brother-in-laws, Robert Hirschman, Bill McLean, and Gerald Stotts.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 16, 2016, at 2:00pm at the First United Methodist Church in Perry. Interment will follow the service at Grace Hill Cemetery. Memorial donations can be made to Perry FFA.