William Harold Freeman

William Harold "Dick" Freeman Jr., 72, of Troy, Alabama, passed away peacefully on August 13th, 2026 at his home, surrounded by his loving family.

Born and raised in Troy, Dick was a proud graduate of Charles Henderson High School, Class of 1971. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Joyce Freeman, and his brother, James "Boggie" Freeman. The year after graduating, Dick began two years of service in the United States Army, where he trained as a medical corpsman—a role well suited to a man whose instinct was to take care of people. He served overseas in Germany with the 2nd Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery, and was honorably discharged in 1974, having earned the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. Like everything else he did, he served without fanfare, then came home to Troy ready to build.

Dick was a man who never sought recognition or a name etched in stone. Instead, he believed in being the foundation—the strong, dependable material from which something lasting could be built. And that is exactly what he was to his family: a foundation of strength, wisdom, love, and guidance.

He was a quiet man, but when Dick spoke, his words were worth listening to. He was not a flawless man, nor did he ever pretend to be. He was simply himself—honest, strong-willed, intelligent, and deeply devoted to the people he loved. Dick was generous in every sense of the word—with his time, his wisdom, his means, and his heart. That generosity reached well beyond his family—to the employees he led and mentored over the years, and the many people he quietly helped along the way, never asking for anything in return. He was kind and always fair. But his generosity came with high expectations. He gave much because he believed much—in his family, his children, his employees, and what each was capable of becoming. A natural leader, he believed in preparing people for life, encouraging them to develop the skills, knowledge, and strength necessary to stand on their own. A man of science and technology, he possessed a brilliant mind for mathematics and a natural curiosity about how things worked. His intelligence was matched by a wisdom that came from a lifetime of experiences and lessons learned.

That brilliance found its life’s work at Troy Cable, the company his father, Harold, founded. When Harold passed in 1998, Dick stepped up to carry the family's work forward. As General Manager and later President, he led Troy Cable for more than two decades, guiding a hometown cable company into one of southeast Alabama's leading communications providers. Like his father before him, Dick was always ahead of the technology curve—embracing fiber optics when most of the industry had not yet seen its promise, and built an all-fiber network that brought internet, phone, video, and security services to families and businesses across nine counties. His purpose was simple: to give his children the chance to build a good life at home, without having to leave for a bigger city, and to create that same opportunity for the people of the communities Troy Cable served.

But Dick’s greatest accomplishment was the family he built. He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Lorrie D. Freeman; daughter Carrie A. Freeman; daughter Mandy (Allen) Thompson; sons Conley (Reyna) Freeman, Christopher (Amanda) Freeman, and Michael Kjeldahl. He leaves behind his beloved grandchildren: Joey Klingler, Brittany (Dusty) Gooden, Jeb Wells, Josh Wells, Rose Freeman (Hunter), Ally Thompson, Ben Freeman, McKenzie Thompson, Thierry Freeman, Gabby Gore, Jayden Kjeldahl, and Swinton Freeman. His legacy continues through his great-grandchildren: Ryan Gooden, Abby Gooden, Lauren Gooden, Hannah Kate Gooden, Brenleigh Gooden, and Harper Blake Childree. Dick is also survived by his sisters, Vicki Freeman (Terry) McPherson, Brenda Freeman (Hank) Sims, Deborah Freeman (Bob) Seamans, and Beverly Freeman (Steve) Spivey; sisters-in-law Cathy (Awbrey) Barker and Christine De Agazio; and several beloved nieces and nephews.

To his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Dick leaves behind something far more valuable than possessions—a legacy of strength, intelligence, perseverance, and love. The lessons he taught, the stories he shared, and the example he set will continue through every generation that follows him.

Dick's family finds comfort in knowing that his work here is complete. He built his foundation well, and the people he loved will continue to build upon it. Though his absence leaves an emptiness that cannot be filled, his memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. He left something much greater behind—people who loved him, lives he shaped, and a familystrong enough to carry his legacy forward.

The family would like to sincerely thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, kindness, and support during this difficult time. The family is currently spending quiet time together and respectfully asks for privacy. Details regarding visitation and services will be announced at a later date.

Rest peacefully, Dick. You were loved, you are missed, and you will never be forgotten.