Obituary for John Lee "Jack" Freeland
John “Jack” Lee Freeland, 64, had a heart attack and despite receiving prompt and much appreciated medical care, died on Monday, October 10 at UVM Medical Center, with his wife, April Schwendler, at his side.
Born in Michigan City, IN, Jack spent his childhood surrounded by a large extended family as both his parents were from the area. He grew up playing on the beach and in the waters of Lake Michigan, where he was proud to have qualified as a lifeguard. Upon graduation from high school, instead of going to Purdue University as planned, he opted to follow his family to New Jersey where they relocated and he obtained a B.A. in Psychology and Economics at Seton Hall University. He then went to Fairleigh Dickinson University for his Masters of Business Administration where he was a teacher’s assistant and member of the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society. While there he met and upon graduation married his first wife, Susan.
Jack worked as a Financial Analyst for a number of companies over the years: the first being Intel Corporation in California, then returning to the East Coast to work for Citicorp and Grolier Publishing. For the bulk of his career, he was based in both Chicago and the greater New York area while he worked for Thomson (later Thomson Reuters), working across multiple divisions, notably their then various newspapers scattered throughout the United States. He had many great stories of those he worked with in those days, the road trips to the newspapers – especially one in a convertible going over the Rockies! - and outrageous company retreats with huge bar bills. He especially remained close with his former boss, Paula Camp, and her family, and drew on the connections he made those years as he transitioned into offering consultant services in finance optimizations solutions.
In 2008, Jack married April and after having their later-in-life miracle son, Elliott, they moved to Illinois where Jack was the Vice President of Finance for a propriety college before returning East again to become Managing Director for an accredited private license school in the Pittsburgh market. Jack achieved a life-long goal to own his own business when he purchased Vermont Panurgy in 2016, which brought them back to Vermont where April grew up and has extended family. Preferring to focus on his expertise in finance and having a great group of employees at Vermont Panurgy, Jack continued to work as a financial consultant or interim controller for a number of Vermont and New Hampshire based companies. His last assignment was with Community Health Centers of Burlington, where he found such a great fit of people and work that he looked forward to continuing as the permanent Controller.
Over the years, Jack attended many family reunions back in Michigan City, where his many aunts, uncles and cousins, and often his godfather, Tom Kewley, would take over the Holiday Inn and gather to reminisce, tell stories, swim, and play pranks on one another, just as they had all throughout his youth. It brought Jack much joy to introduce April and Elliott to that wonderful group of extended family – on both his mother’s and father’s side – and have them be so warmly embraced. Jack was so pleased to have recently seen so many of his Seidler cousins and their families at a reunion this past July.
Jack was personable, easy to talk with and loved his family. He was especially proud of his son, Elliott. He is and will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him.
Jack is survived by his wife and son, Elliott Jackson Ferdinand Collins Welch Freeland, his father John “Jack” A. Freeland, sister Lori (Morris) and her husband Steve, their two children Samantha “Sammy” and John “Jack”, his Aunt Mary Lou Klouman, and many beloved cousins and their families.
He was predeceased by many family members, notably his mother, Harriet “Joann” (Schneider) Freeland, and his cousin, John Seidler.
The family extends their heartful gratitude to the medical staff at Community Health Centers of Burlington; it provides us great solace to know he was not alone and got immediate medical attention. We also thank the faculty and staff and the families at Mater Christi School for opening their arms to us upon Jack’s passing, and especially to Heather Jarvis, you are an extraordinary human being.
Funeral services will be October 29 at 11:00 a.m. at the Waterbury Center Community Church in Waterbury Center, Vermont. Interment will be private at a later date. Please consider a donation to the Vermont Foodbank or your local food shelf in his name; Jack firmly believed no one should ever go hungry.
Born in Michigan City, IN, Jack spent his childhood surrounded by a large extended family as both his parents were from the area. He grew up playing on the beach and in the waters of Lake Michigan, where he was proud to have qualified as a lifeguard. Upon graduation from high school, instead of going to Purdue University as planned, he opted to follow his family to New Jersey where they relocated and he obtained a B.A. in Psychology and Economics at Seton Hall University. He then went to Fairleigh Dickinson University for his Masters of Business Administration where he was a teacher’s assistant and member of the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society. While there he met and upon graduation married his first wife, Susan.
Jack worked as a Financial Analyst for a number of companies over the years: the first being Intel Corporation in California, then returning to the East Coast to work for Citicorp and Grolier Publishing. For the bulk of his career, he was based in both Chicago and the greater New York area while he worked for Thomson (later Thomson Reuters), working across multiple divisions, notably their then various newspapers scattered throughout the United States. He had many great stories of those he worked with in those days, the road trips to the newspapers – especially one in a convertible going over the Rockies! - and outrageous company retreats with huge bar bills. He especially remained close with his former boss, Paula Camp, and her family, and drew on the connections he made those years as he transitioned into offering consultant services in finance optimizations solutions.
In 2008, Jack married April and after having their later-in-life miracle son, Elliott, they moved to Illinois where Jack was the Vice President of Finance for a propriety college before returning East again to become Managing Director for an accredited private license school in the Pittsburgh market. Jack achieved a life-long goal to own his own business when he purchased Vermont Panurgy in 2016, which brought them back to Vermont where April grew up and has extended family. Preferring to focus on his expertise in finance and having a great group of employees at Vermont Panurgy, Jack continued to work as a financial consultant or interim controller for a number of Vermont and New Hampshire based companies. His last assignment was with Community Health Centers of Burlington, where he found such a great fit of people and work that he looked forward to continuing as the permanent Controller.
Over the years, Jack attended many family reunions back in Michigan City, where his many aunts, uncles and cousins, and often his godfather, Tom Kewley, would take over the Holiday Inn and gather to reminisce, tell stories, swim, and play pranks on one another, just as they had all throughout his youth. It brought Jack much joy to introduce April and Elliott to that wonderful group of extended family – on both his mother’s and father’s side – and have them be so warmly embraced. Jack was so pleased to have recently seen so many of his Seidler cousins and their families at a reunion this past July.
Jack was personable, easy to talk with and loved his family. He was especially proud of his son, Elliott. He is and will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him.
Jack is survived by his wife and son, Elliott Jackson Ferdinand Collins Welch Freeland, his father John “Jack” A. Freeland, sister Lori (Morris) and her husband Steve, their two children Samantha “Sammy” and John “Jack”, his Aunt Mary Lou Klouman, and many beloved cousins and their families.
He was predeceased by many family members, notably his mother, Harriet “Joann” (Schneider) Freeland, and his cousin, John Seidler.
The family extends their heartful gratitude to the medical staff at Community Health Centers of Burlington; it provides us great solace to know he was not alone and got immediate medical attention. We also thank the faculty and staff and the families at Mater Christi School for opening their arms to us upon Jack’s passing, and especially to Heather Jarvis, you are an extraordinary human being.
Funeral services will be October 29 at 11:00 a.m. at the Waterbury Center Community Church in Waterbury Center, Vermont. Interment will be private at a later date. Please consider a donation to the Vermont Foodbank or your local food shelf in his name; Jack firmly believed no one should ever go hungry.