Mary E. Freeman

Mary Elizabeth Freeman, 69 of Gaylord, passed away Sunday, February 5, 2023, at Munson Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord, one week before reaching her 70^th birthday.

Born in Pontiac, Michigan on February 12, 1953, she was the daughter of Richard and Donna (Lytle) Sawicki and a 1971 graduate of St. Lawrence Catholic High School in Utica.

Mary worked for several years in Gaylord in the kitchen at the Otsego County Commission on Aging.  There she met David Jenkinson, who worked in maintenance.  He became the love of her life, and they were together until his death in 2015.  After David’s death, Mary moved from Vanderbilt to Gaylord.

Mary was a parishioner at St. Mary Cathedral and a member of the Gaylord Eagles Ladies Auxiliary.  She enjoyed camping, gardening, music, and drawing charcoal sketches.  Her artistic talent brought joy to those she shared it with.  Mary was patriotic and always supportive of veterans.  She will also be remembered as strong willed, sometimes stubborn, and generous to others, sometimes to a fault.

Mary is survived by her children, Shonda Michelson of Grayling and Dennis “DJ” (Falon) Freeman of Gaylord; grandchildren, Skylar Szymanski, Keylee Shelly, Alex Freeman and Taylor Freeman; a sister, Kathy (John) Winter of Petoskey; brothers, Tom (Val) Sawicki of Sterling Heights, Phil (Nancy) Sawicki of Gaylord, and Bob (Heather) Sawicki of Gaylord; her “special sister-in-law”, Mary Ellen (Don) Howard of Vanderbilt; and several nieces and nephews. 

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM Friday, February 10, 2023 at Gaylord Community Funeral Home & Cremation Service where visitation will begin at 12:00 noon.  Those who wish are asked to consider memorial contributions in her memory to Compassus Hospice or the Otsego County Animal Shelter.

Arrangements are by Gaylord Community Funeral Home & Cremation Service.  Please share your memories and personal messages to www.gaylordfuneralhome.com