Rev. Monroe Freeman, Jr.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to 

Saint Titus' Episcopal Church Altar Guild

Saint Titus' Episcopal Church, 400 Moline Street, Durham, NC  27707

The Celebration of Life Service for The Reverend Monroe Freeman Jr. will be live streamed on the Facebook Page of Fisher Memorial Funeral Parlor

The Rev. Monroe Freeman Jr.

 Monroe Freeman Jr., the son of Monroe and Bessie Spratling Freeman, was born on August 9, 1936 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  He departed this life on July 15, 2022 in Durham, North Carolina.

 He spent his childhood in Tennessee and Neptune, New Jersey where he completed high school.  He graduated from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio with a BA degree in French and English.  He also served as a French teaching assistant at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

 Monroe served in the U.S. Army in Bad Kreuznach, Germany.  He received a Certificate in French from the University of Dijon in France and had taught English at Berlitz School of Languages in Stuttgart, Germany.  He was honorably discharged from the United States army on February 28, 1966.

 He taught English at Matawan Public Schools, Mattawan, New Jersey.  He earned a M.A. degree in French from Montclair State College in New Jersey in 1971.  He subsequently did Ed. D. coursework in Foreign Language Education and School Administration at Rutgers University from 1974 to 1978.

 He served the Montclair Public Schools as a French-English teacher, Principal and lastly as an Assistant Personnel Administrator.

 He married Marjorie Diggs Wickes and adopted her two sons, Julian and Jason.

 Father Freeman, Jr. earned the MDiv. Degree in Theology from General Theological Seminary in New York, New York, he began his church experiences in the Episcopal Diocese:  Newark, Nj., Albany, N.Y. and North Carolina at St. Titus Episcopal Church in Durham (1992-1998).  He became Supply Priest from 1999 to 2005.

 In 2005 he moved to Georgia and was an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta until returning to the Durham area in 2018.

 Monroe’s happiest memories revolved around spending time with his young sons and family in New Jersey and at family reunions, traveling and enjoying the opera.  His most meaningful achievement was becoming an ordained Episcopal priest enabling him to fully ser God and the people of God.

 He was preceded in death by his parents, Monroe Freeman and Bessie Spratling Freeman; three sistes (Mary Ruth Henderson, Betty Ann Greenhow and Patricia Jo Freeman).

 He leaves to cherish his memory, two sons, Julian Freeman of Burlington, NC and Jason Freeman of N. Hollywood, California; two sisters, Beverly Jennings of Columbus, Ohio and Leila Beasley of warner Robbins, Georgia; two brothers, Kevin Freeman of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Saleem Muhammad of Conyers, Georgia; his former wife, Marjorie Freeman of Durham, NC; and a host of other relatives and friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rev. Monroe Freeman, Jr., please visit our floral store.