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William Benson Freeman, better known as Bill, passed away peacefully with his wife by his side on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in the town of Lake George, New York.  He was born in Atlanta, Georgia on Oct. 18, 1936, the son of Kathren Young Freeman and Edwin Benson Freeman, Jr.

Bill attended public schools in LaGrange, Georgia, graduating from high school in 1954.  He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1958, and was commissioned in the US Naval Reserve through the NROTC program.  

After serving two years on active duty as Supply Officer on a Destroyer Escort in the US Pacific Fleet, he pursued his 35-year career as a professional engineer, primarily in the Defense Industry, specializing in explosives technology and development of guided missiles.  He was licensed as a registered Professional Engineer by the State of Florida in 1970. 

 He held various technical leadership and general management positions with three Aerospace & Defense prime contracting firms in Florida, California, and Texas before retiring in 1995, from a  company which is now part of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.  Bill was  a member of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), serving on national technical committees and serving for two years as president of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of NDIA.

While working in the Orlando area in 1963, Bill met Helene Banitch, a native of Glens Falls, New York who was also working in Florida.  

The couple married in Orlando on July 18, 1964 and made their home in Winter Park, Florida until moving to California in 1977 and then to Dallas, Texas in 1980.  The Freeman’s planned an early retirement, building a house on Flat Rock Road in Lake George, New York in 1994, moving there from Texas in 1995.

Bill enjoyed many hobbies such as bird watching, tending to his garden, creating stained glass works of art, and cooking.  However, his favorite pastime for over 30 years was singing in a skilled chorus, beginning with the Bach Festival Choir in Winter Park, Florida in 1995 and including 14 years in the baritone section of the Dallas Symphony Chorus in Texas.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Helene.  The two expect to be reunited in heaven thanks to their mutual faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

He is also survived by his  granddaughters, Heather Ann Freeman of Apex, North Carolina, Heidi Rose Burroughs of Lexington, South Carolina, great-grandson Everett Burroughs, and by his stepson Thomas Fisk of Springfield, Virginia. 

Bill was predeceased by his sister, Kathren Stelzner and by his son, Dean Freeman.

Bill was a reader of scripture.  As a Gideon he was active as an officer of the Warren County Camp of Gideons from 1996 to 2002.  He was also a member of Mountainside Bible Chapel in Schroon Lake, New York. The memorial service was officiated by the Rev. Scott Matthews, Pastor of Bolton Community Church.

Bill was a kind and gentle soul and a consummately devoted family man who was buried with military honors and is resting in peace at Evergreen Cemetery in Lake George, New York.

Memorial donations would be appropriate to Gideons International, P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, Tennessee, 37214-0800.  And to Word of Life Needy Camper Scholarship fund, P.O. Box 600, Schroon Lake, New York.