Freeman David Smith

Freeman David Smith, 82 passed away Friday October 6th, 2023.

Freeman was born in Michel-Natal near Sparwood, BC, the oldest of four children. He worked as an electrician at Port Mellon for over 38 years.

Freeman grew up in Trail, BC where he played for the Trail Smoke Eaters in the late 1950s and thereafter moved to Vancouver and joined the Canadian Navy serving in the Pacific Fleet mostly in Asia. In the early 1960s he met his wife, Joy, married and moved to the Sunshine Coast and began working at the pulp and paper mill in Port Mellon where Freeman completed an apprenticeship and became an electrician. He started a family in Gibsons, originally living on Reed Road and then moving to Sechelt where he lived the rest of his life. Freeman and Joy had two children, Freeman Jr., and Michelle.

Freeman was a hockey and baseball coach and was dedicated to the local Legion and Pulp and Paper Union where he served as an officer for decades. Freeman loved fishing and sports of all kinds. He loved the water and spent endless hours boating with family exploring the inlets and waters of the Sunshine Coast.  He also loved working on cars and fixing anything mechanical, creating a mechanical satellite dish in the early 70s to intercept the best US sports channels long before cable. In his early retirement he spent the winters (with Joy) in Baja, Mexico long before the massive expansion of the area, exploring the back roads in his Jeep Commando (Baja Blue) and fishing for marlin and dorado.

When Freeman retired, he enjoyed spending time with Joy, Freeman Jr., Michelle and their families’ celebrating holidays, eating and playing cards.  Freeman was a man of few words, but what he did convey was his love for his wife, children (their spouses) and his grandchildren.  He will be missed by his wife of 59 years, his children Freeman (Jules), Michelle (Dave) his grandchildren:  Justin, Max, Jayden, Hart, his brother William and his sisters Helen and Lenora.

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