Obituary of Susan Shepherd Freeman

Susan (Marie) Shepherd Freeman, age 75, of Cantonment, FL, passed away unexpectedly on April 19, 2017. She was born in 1941 in Manhattan, NY as the only child of William T. and Helen S. Shepherd. After graduating from Baldwin High School in Baldwin, NY, she attended the Roosevelt Hospital School of Nursing, earning her degree as a Registered Nurse in 1962, and embarking on a 51-year career dedicated to helping others. Sue joined the United States Air Force in 1963, and her first assignment took her to Altus, OK, where she would meet and later marry her soul mate, Charles J. “Chuck” Freeman. Shortly after leaving the USAF in 1967, their son Brian was born. As Chuck continued his USAF career, their travels took them to Bellevue, NE, where their daughter Barbara was born, Fort Walton Beach, FL, Anchorage, AK and San Antonio, TX. Sue developed superior technical expertise as an Operating Room nurse, rising to Director of the Operating Room at Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital. After a brief stint in Seminole, FL, she was soon called upon to become the Director of the Operating Room in Boca Raton, FL. After many years of success as a leader in her field, she desired to step back into a staff position, accepting an OR nursing position at Boca Raton Community Hospital. Many years later, Sue and Chuck decided to move to the Pensacola area in October 2002, where she continued her career as a staff OR nurse at West Florida Medical Center. She retired from West Florida in 2014, and enjoyed spending her free time with Chuck, visiting her children and grandchildren, and playing Bingo. Throughout her life Sue had a love of travel. Within her role as a nurse, she took the opportunity to visit Honduras and participate with medical teams to provide much-needed surgical care there. On her own time, she has traveled extensively with various members of her family all over the world, including Europe, Scandinavia, South America, the Caribbean, China, the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Helen Shepherd. Sue is survived by her husband of 52 years, Chuck Freeman, her children Brian Freeman and Barbara Booke, and grandchildren Jason Booke, Kerry Freeman and Lauren Booke. In accordance with Sue’s wishes, a private memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 22. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the American Heart Association.