Beverly Freese

Beverly Jean Bliss Freese, known to all as Jean, died  at the Oakwood Village Retirement Community in Madison on February 21.  She had recently celebrated her 100 ^th birthday.

Born January 1, 1920, to Hugh and Erminie Bliss of Madison, Jean grew up with four siblings—Hugh, Anita, Marzo, and Clint.  Her favorite childhood memories were of summers spent at the Bliss family cottage overlooking Lake Waubesa, which, she wrote, was “our favorite place on earth, even though it had no modern conveniences—no electricity, no running water, and just a two-holer outhouse.  The cottage had a magic about it that no other place had.”

Jean’s lifelong love of music and dance was fostered by her mother, who studied at the Wisconsin School of Music and who worked as a piano accompanist in dance classes.  Her solution to childcare for a toddler was to take Jean along to these classes, and as Jean explained, “I stood by the piano and imitated everything the class was doing.  Finally, Professor Kehl said I might as well join the class.  So, at the ripe old age of two and a half I started studying dance.”

Jean graduated from West High School and then attended the University of Wisconsin.   After receiving her Bachelor’s degree, she  joined the faculty of Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she taught physical education and dance; students and faculty especially loved her classes in folk dancing.  In 1968, Jean married Gordon Freese, who was also associated with Stephens College.

Upon retirement in 1977, Jean and Gordon moved to McFarland, to a home they had designed and built on the site of the old Bliss-family cabin.  There they often entertained friends and family.  Visitors looked forward to swimming in the lake, canoeing adventures, fresh vegetables from the garden, backyard barbecues, birdwatching, spirited games of “Pit” and “Uno,” and to Jean’s good Wisconsin cooking.  Jean also made time to continue her meticulous quilting and sewing projects, which included many first-day-of-school outfits for her grandchildren.  All of this she accomplished with a “can-do” spirit based on a saying she remembered from her Grandpa Bliss: “Never say ‘ I can’t .’ Say ‘ I’ll try !’”

Jean and Gordon traveled extensively, even participating in a bicycling trip through the Loire Valley when they were in their mid-’70s.  Jean was a charter member of the McFarland United Church of Christ, and later attended the First Congregational Church in Madison.  With her husband, she was a hardworking volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, which honored the couple’s years of service by choosing the name “Freese Lane” for a street in the Habitat development just off Siggelkow Road in McFarland.

In 2002, Jean and Gordon moved to the Oakwood Village Retirement Community on Mineral Point Road.  There, Jean continued her volunteer work and her gardening, and she teamed up with friend Jane Deyo in piano duets performed for Oakwood residents.  She enjoyed puzzles of all kinds, especially crosswords and Sudoku, she was an enthusiastic square-dancer, and she never tired of visiting the UW arboretum, especially when the trees blossomed in the spring.

The celebration of Jean’s 100 ^th birthday on January 1 ^st of this year was the occasion for many of her friends and relatives to join her at Oakwood for cake and reminiscences.  Later, with the snow in mid-January, her wish for a winter sleigh-ride came true, thanks to the efforts of nieces Merry Bliss Spangler and Carol Bliss Clingan, and of Michelle Kryshak of Agrace Hospice.

The family would like to thank Tabor Oaks staff at Oakwood (especially Nurse Wendy), as well as the Agrace Hospice team (especially Brian James-Richardson) for their expert care and many kindnesses to Jean in the last stages of her life.

Jean is survived by her brother Clint, her stepchildren (Lynne, Martha, David, and Alison), her grandchildren (Catherine, Sarah, Justin, and Elsa) and her great-grandchildren (Jonah, Ivan, Amelia, and Leo), and by numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.  She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed.  Her niece Merry said it best:  “We will all miss Jean, that petite, quiet, stubborn Norwegian! May she now dance with the angels!”

Burial will be in the Truax/Bliss family plot in Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison.   Memorial contributions may be made to Dane County Habitat for Humanity, to the Oakwood Foundation, or to an organization of your choosing.