...but also a loss for us as Bill and Patti Freehan were long time friends of OUR family.
Detroit Tigers great Bill Freehan dies at age 79 after long battle with Alzheimer's disease
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2021/08/19/bill-freehan-detroit-tigers-dies-alzheimers-disease/511651001/
Note that the picture below is of that "northern Michigan home" mentioned in the above article:
March 2000 (Minolta Vectis 25)
They loaned their summer home to our family when my mother was ill and at the medical center in Petosky, Michigan. It was very convenient since we had to fly in from California and our oldest son and his family came from Texas. My mother's home was about 60 miles away, so this was great for all of us to be able to stay close to the hospital (it was only about 10 minutes away).
We also got to see and hold a World Series trophy:
March 2000 (Minolta Vectis 25)
March 2000 (Minolta Vectis 25)
Note that the 'Eleven' was referencing his jersey number when he played for the Tigers.
He and Patti attended my mother's funeral a couple of weeks later, but I didn't get any pictures. However I did when he and his wife attended my Aunt's funeral six years later:
November 2006 (Sony DSC-H2)
Note that his wife Patti, and my first cousin Ellen, were roommates when they were in nursing school together back in Ohio. That's how we got to know them. Also, his parents had a cabin near where I grew-up and would attend our church when they were there for the summer (this was well before Bill was a star player for the Tigers).
OCU
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