Lola May Freeman

Lola Freeman | 1933-2019
Lola May (Unangst) Freeman, 85, of Cheyenne, passed away January 9, 2019 at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center surrounded by her loving family.
Lola was born on December 20, 1933 in Bartlett, Nebraska to Edwin R. and Geneva M. (Taylor) Unangst, one of seven sisters two brothers, and two half brothers. She grew up in Bartlett, later moving to Casper where she graduated from Natrona County High School with the class of 1951. She attended Casper College, the University of Northern Colorado, and obtained her degree in elementary education from the University of Wyoming. She was a homemaker.
She married the love of her life, Floyd J. Freeman, on June 1, 1958 in Casper. Her son Bryce was born in 1960, followed by her second son Brad in 1962. In 1968 Floyd and Lola moved their family to Laramie where they both completed their college degrees at the University of Wyoming, and where her daughter Brenda was born in 1970. In 1974, the family moved to Cheyenne where Lola has resided since. For the last twenty years, Lola and Floyd wintered in Casa Grande, Arizona where Lola made many new friends and many good memories. She loved her second home at the Palm Creek resort.
Lola was a prolific poet, writer and artist from an early age. She wrote hundreds of poems over the years, some inspired by special occasions in her life but most inspired by the events of everyday living. She could find beauty and inspiration where others only saw the mundane and ordinary. She shared her poems widely with family, friends and classmates, and was known to have a reading of her poetry on appropriate occasions. She also loved to make jewelry for herself as well as her family and friends. Many of her pieces are worn everyday by those lucky enough to have received one of them.
Lola was very proud of her children and grandchildren and often reminded her family how lucky we all are to have each other. In fact, she would tell just about anyone who would listen about all of their accomplishments. She was a tireless advocate for her children and grandchildren, nurturing, teaching and inspiring all of us to be the best we could be.
Lola had a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Every year at Christmas she would bake a birthday cake for baby Jesus. She took care to ensure that as her children grew up they would learn not only how to make a living, but how to make a life centered around family and faith.
Lola is survived by her loving husband Floyd, her children; Bryce (Pam) Freeman, Brad (Kym) Freeman and Brenda (Vince) Birkle, all of Cheyenne; grandchildren Lindsey Freeman of Laramie, Kinsey Freeman of Aurora, Nebraska, Dylan Freeman of Laramie, Tucker Birkle of Cheyenne and Savannah Birkle of Laramie; sisters Maxine Wingert, Betty Gottfried, Georgia Sternberg and brothers Bob Unangst and Bill Unangst, all of Casper, as well as many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edwin and Geneva Unangst; sisters Mildred Scheel, Marion Krause and Hetti Bohlmann; and two half brothers, Edwin and Donald Unangst.
You were the kindest and gentlest soul ever to walk the earth. As the stillness of death settles on your body, we are not afraid, for we know that your spirit has risen like a phoenix to heaven. We are eternally grateful to God that he gave us one of his angels to walk with us through the journey of our lives. You will be forever missed but always loved and remembered.
A viewing will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Services will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday at Wiederspahn Radomsky Chapel with Interment at Cheyenne Memorial Gardens. The family invites everyone for a reception and fellowship at the Cheyenne Shrine Club, 224 E. Iowa Street, immediately following the graveside service.
Donations to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, or the Paralyzed Veterans of America, in Lola’s name, will be gratefully appreciated by the family.