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| May 24, 2018 1:00 AM

Barbara Jean Archer Freeman, 84

Barbara Jean Archer Freeman, 84, died on April 24, 2018, at the Schneidmiller Hospice House in Hayden, Idaho, after a short battle with cancer.

Barbara was born in Wilbur, Wash., to James and Maud Archer. As the youngest of six children, Barbara was raised in a farming family. The family moved to Colbert, Wash., when Barb was in grade school. She loved living on Green Bluff and shared many fond memories of life on the farm. She attended the Green Bluff Elementary School, where her mother was the school cook. Then Barb attended Mead High School, where she was active in school sports including volleyball and basketball. After graduating in 1952, Barb attended and graduated from Kinman Business School in bookkeeping.

In the summer of 1952, Barb attended a dance at Fairchild AFB where she met Steve Freeman. They were married on March 28, 1953. Over the next several years, they lived and worked in Spokane, Wash., Kennewick, Wash., Colville, Wash., and Jackson, Miss. In June of 1969, Barb and Steve adopted their daughter, Linette, and in 1978, they added to their family by adopting Donna and Jayson, and their family was complete.

Barb was a stay-at-home mom and was committed to her kids, their schooling and their many activities, including swimming, T-ball, softball, soccer, karate, Bluebirds, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and 4H. She was very good at making holidays special with theme parties for Halloween, painting the windows for Christmas, and holiday baking with the kids. Family was the most important thing to Barb, and she passed down many family traditions.

Barb and Steve divorced in 1989, and then Barb’s sister Waneta moved in to help out. From that point on, the words Barbs and Waneta became one word — the sisters did everything together.

In 1988, Barb and Neta moved to Priest River, Idaho, to care for their sister and brother-in-law. They lived in Priest River for the next 20 years. Barb worked at Mac’s Gas and Grocery. She loved her job and the people that she worked with, and retired at the age of 80.

In January of 2018, Barb was diagnosed with end-stage cancer, and she passed away a few short weeks later.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Melvin Archer; sisters, Margorie Friesen, Alma Murphy and Irene Nelson; her former spouse, Stephen Freeman and her daughter, Donna Simon.

She is survived by her daughter, Linette Freeman; son, Jayson Freeman; sister, Waneta Lingelbach; grandchildren, Chynna and Jorja Simon, Alyssa Fifield, Kaleb and Karysta Freeman; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 26, 2018, at Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d’Alene Chapel, with a memorial gathering to follow at the Lake City Senior Center.

Barb’s final arrangements are entrusted with Yates Funeral Home. Please visit Barbs online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com and sign her guest book.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Schneidmiller Hospice House.