On April 3, 2015, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, Jan Scussel Freeman, completed his mortal life at his home in Bountiful, Utah. Following a diagnosis of Malignant Myxiloid Sarcoma, in 1998, with multiple surgeries and treatments, Dad went forward for 17 more years, joyously giving service and being a friend to everyone he associated with.
He was born on November 18, 1940, to Dr. Ralph Waldo Freeman and Lena Scussel Freeman. He is blessed to have two brothers – Ralph Joseph, who died in a tragic accident, at age 3 – just 6 months before Dad was born, and his younger brother, Jay who was born in 1944.
Dad's life was one of service from the time of his early youth. He didn't ever share the following experiences with our family, himself, as is his way — but his mother shared them with our mother. I am sure she was hoping to assure that his example would continue through our generation. When Dad's father passed away in 1955, Dad was 15-years-old, and the oldest of the two surviving brothers. His mother had a degree to teach, but required recertification for a teaching position at Fillmore Elementary School. She was still grieving the loss of her husband. –To help her, Dad registered for a geology course offered, through correspondence, at Brigham Young University – in his mother's name. He completed the requirements, which made it possible for his mother to receive her certification, qualifying her to accept the teaching position and provide for her family. At that time, his mother was also unable to drive. She told our mother that Dad, not having a license, himself, would take her up near the foothills above Fillmore where he taught her how to drive. –Dad would continue to follow a course of love and service throughout his life.
Dad attended public schools, in Fillmore and graduated from Millard High School in 1959 with high honors. As a youth, he received the Eagle Scout Award, Order of the Arrow Award, Duty to God Award and was the single Boy Scout selected to represent the State of Utah at the Nippon World Scout Jamboree titled "The Sea Lift to the Pacific," in Japan. He attended Boys State and Boys Nation and was the recipient of the Sterling Scholar Award, All State Football Most Valuable Player, All-American Football honors and presented the Deseret News Thom McAn Trophy. He also received the Danforth Leadership Award.
Dad enjoyed telling us about being a member of the first baseball team in Utah. He is pictured with his team, which was coached by Bailey Santistevens, in Bingham, Utah, and featured in a July 1999 Sports Illustrated article titled, "Bailey's Boys."
Dad married Gayle Ann Weston on September 5, 1964, in the Manti Temple. Last September, they celebrated 50 years of love and devotion. They are blessed with three children -Richard Scussel, Jennifer Ann, and David James and find great joy in their 12, most special, grandchildren. –One grandson, Ryan Freeman, is serving in the Washington Federal Way Mission. He will complete his assignment on May 25. His twin sister, Jaclyn, will be their first grandchild to be married on June 6.
Dad graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Utah in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. In 1966, he graduated from the University of Utah College of Medicine, and completed a two-year Internship and a five-year Residency Program in Internal Medicine and General Surgery, at that university.
Our parents worked, together, for most of Dad's education years. They were married the summer before Dad began his junior year of medical school, and with mother's employment as a secretary with Hercules Powder Company, were able to share the responsibilities while Dad completed 9 of his 11 years of training for his career in the field of medicine. During Dad's Internship, he was required to sleep every other night at the University Hospital. Mother would often drive to the hospital to have a milkshake with him at 11:00, at night, when he would have a break, so that they would be able to have some short visits, together.
Dad is a Fellow of the American College of Surgery. He was among the first transplant surgeons, in Utah, beginning as a surgical resident. He was appointed as the Director of the Intermountain Organ Bank at the University of Utah from 1971-1972.
In 1972, Dad was inducted into the U.S. Army, and with the rank of Major, served as a surgeon at Walson Army Hospital at Fort Dix, New Jersey. In 1974, he was released from military assignment and he returned with his family to Utah where he resumed his position with the staff of the University of Utah School of Medicine, as Associate Professor of Surgery. He also served as Chief of Transplantation at the Salt Lake Veterans Administration Hospital until 1976.
It was 1976 when Dad made the decision to open a private practice in General Surgery, in Bountiful. He served as the Emergency Medical Director for Davis County, also on the State Paramedic Council and on the Emergency Medical Services Council from 1977-1982. One of the largest contributions he made to Davis County, during that time, was implementing emergency medical services. His proposal involved training local fire crews, 12-hour medical emergency room coverage, providing telemetry at Lakeview Hospital, which was a fairly new hospital at the time, and gaining the support and consent of physicians in Davis County. By January 1978, emergency services were up and running with two Suburban vehicles, one for the north, and one for the south of Davis County. During his 37 years of service at Lakeview Hospital, he found great happiness in caring for numerous patients, performing thousands of surgeries, and forming cherished friendships. Dad has served in leadership as well as on the boards of the Utah State Medical Association, the American Medical Association, Davis County Medical Association, the American College of Surgery and the Transplantation Society.
He also served as President of the Bountiful Area Chamber of Commerce from 1986-1989. He is a Son of the Utah Pioneers and a member of American Legion Post 27.
Dad also enjoyed membership, with other LDS physicians and healthcare professionals, in an organization titled Collegium Aesculapium. He and mother
enjoyed special friendships and some wonderful church history tours, as well as a most special tour of the Holy Land, and seminars with that great organization.
Dad, formally, retired in 2007; however, he loved the field of medicine and working with patients and his beloved colleagues. He continued to assist in surgery, and served as physician for three wound clinics throughout the valley. He has, also, found great joy in serving at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building Clinic as a physician for the missionaries in the Family and Church Headquarters Mission. He and Mother have also enjoyed service as Ordinance Workers in the Bountiful Temple. They were, at last, able to travel in the same car –after years of meeting each other, while driving separate cars, to many of the things they participated in together.
One of Dad's greatest joys was his 22 years of service with the Boy Scouts of America Program, where he served as Scoutmaster and friend to many young men, who, affectionately, referred to him as "Doc." For his many years of Service in Scouting he was awarded the Silver Beaver. He found joy in coaching young men in football, baseball, basketball and soccer. He and Mom enjoyed hosting dinners and mentoring young men and women who were in the General Surgery Residency Program, at the University of Utah School of Medicine.
Dad was blessed with a great love for learning. He was a voracious reader. -What was most precious to him, above all, though, was his family! He loved backpacking and skiing in the high country with his children and older grandchildren. One of my most precious memories with Dad, as a child, is dancing together with my feet on the toes of his shoes. Also, a special "father and daughter" ward camping trip, we enjoyed together, and hiking and going on hikes in Park City.
He always said that "he walked and walked and I talked and talked."
Dad demonstrated a strong testimony of Jesus Christ. He enjoyed serving on the Mueller Park Stake High Council. His heart was always turned to the youth and he was famous for asking doctrinal questions and sharing Church History stories with them. He did the same for our family.
Dad's friendship was always sincere. He had a genuine concern for his patients, also those who were employed by him, as well as those who worked along-side him, sharing the responsibilities of medical science. Whatever he was involved in, he developed meaningful friendships. He did not define himself by his achievements or by his profession. Dad defined himself by the way he treated others and by what kind of example he was for his family and friends. He was always devoted to his loving wife and family, and we are so very grateful for his great legacy of love, service, faith and perseverance.
Our family has received a great outpouring of love from so many!!! We feel sincere gratitude and know we are blessed. THANK YOU, DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!! Your goodness is truly appreciated and will always be precious to us.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on April 11, 2015 at the Mueller Park Stake Center located at 1800 E. Mueller Park Rd., Bountiful, Utah. A viewing will be held on Friday evening, April 10, 2015 from 6:00-8:00 pm at Russon Bros. Mortuary, 295 N. Main St., Bountiful, Utah and before the funeral services from 9:45-10:45 am at the Mueller Park Stake Center. Interment will follow the services at the Bountiful City Cemetery 2224 S 200 W, Bountiful, UT. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the LDS Church Perpetual Education Fund in Jan's name.
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