Bobby Lynn Freeman

Bobby Lynn Freeman, born 19 Jan 1942, in Newport News, VA, passed away peacefully in Maryville, TN on April 12, 2025. Bobby graduated from Warwick High School of Newport News, VA, in 1960. When the fish quit running on the Eastern Shore of Virginia at the end of that summer, he joined the Navy. After serving one tour of duty in Hawaii, he came home to find his way. Once home, he rejoined Parkview Baptist Church, where he met and married a hometown girl, Patsy Ann Miller, in 1965. After working his butt off at Sears with no recognition, he re-enlisted in the Navy, which is when his true legacy began.

Bobby served 29 years with U.S. Navy, with tours of duty at Cheatham Annex, VA, Suitland, MD, Okinawa, Japan, two tours with VQ-2 in Rota, Spain, a tour in NSG Naples, Italy, multiple deployments to Mediterranean and European sites with a total of 9,400 flight hours onboard EC-121M(WV) and EP-3E surveillance aircraft.

In 1989, CTTCS (NAC) Freeman retired from the Naval Security Group Command HQ’s in Washington, DC. This is when he became a "Beltway Bandit”, working for Computer Science Corporation (CSC). He received his Bachelor in Business Administration with an emphasis on statistics, remaining engaged and employed in the digital analysis world until he fully retired in 2009.

Brother Freeman was a Master Mason in good standing and a member of Potomac Lodge No. 5, F.A.A.M., based in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., with nearly thirty years of distinguished membership in the fraternity.

Bobby and Pasty were married for over 50 yrs. After Patsy passed in 2011, Bobby began to roam the United States.

During one of his many cross country road trips, he found a fellow retired veteran, CTACM Suzanne Richter, which started another chapter of Bobby’s storied life. The adventure started in earnest in 2013 and that summer they moved to Maryville, TN where they reconnected with lots of old Navy buddies. They were notorious for traveling the U.S.A. to reconnect with as many friends and family members as they could reach. They were both active members of the Navy Cryptologic Veteran Association (NCVA) and were infamous for attending as many meetings and reunions as possible, as well as attending VQ Reunions when possible. He was a staunch Republican who held firm in his ‘right to bear arms’. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign War, Fleet Reserve Association, and American Legion. Bobby and Suzanne were married in 2023. Suzanne remained by his side until the end.

Bobby is survived by his sister, Brenda Freeman Jones (Ronald), his #1 Daughter Kedré Fairley (Darryl) and his #2 Daughter Kandes Freeman (Gary Cook). We want the world to know he was an amazing “girl dad” before it was hip. Bobby is also survived by a grandson, Nickolas Fairley (Gabrielle), a granddaughter, Gabrielle Fairley, and by his wife, Suzanne Richter. Together they amassed and nurtured a large extended, convoluted, far flung family of crazy cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews, adopted brothers and sisters, adopted nieces and nephews, and adopted cousins. Bobby was a huge fan of babies and adored little dogs, two of whom, Lil’ Bit and Rufus, definitely enhanced his life.

Fair Winds and Following Seas ... We have the watch.

A wake is scheduled for 25 April 2025, between 2-5pm at the Maryville, TN home Bobby and Suzanne shared. A memorial service will be held at Parkview Baptist Church in Newport News, Va, and an Inurnment is being planned/scheduled at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.