Asbury-Charles Richard “Dick” Freeland, 76, of Asbury, formerly of Newport, PA, and Maryland, passed away Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014, at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, Fairlea, following a sudden illness.
Born June 23, 1938, in Harrisburg, PA, he was the only son of the late Charles Cleatus and Eleanor LaRue Bucke Freeland.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Ronald Alan “RB” Freeland.
Mr. Freeland was a native of Pennsylvania and lived in Maryland for many years where he was a 1955 graduate of Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, MD, and where he founded Rebel Records, a label that is an institution in Bluegrass music. In 1975, he moved to West Virginia where he continued to operate Rebel Records until 1979. In 1993, after several years of retirement from the recording business, he founded the Charles R. Freeland Recording Company (CRFRC) which he continued to operate until his death, although declining health had severely limited his participation in recent years. Mr. Freeland was a member of the Alderson Masonic Lodge #70 AF & AM, Alderson.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Sheila D. Freeland of Asbury; daughter, Tami Freeland McCarty and husband Mike of Asbury; daughter-in-law, Kathleen Freeland of Clarksburg, MD; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; as well as beloved aunts, cousins and friends.
Cremation was chosen in honor of Mr. Freeland’s wishes.
A celebration of Mr. Freeland’s life will be held on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 2 p.m. at the Grace Bible Church, RR 12, Asbury, with Pastor Don Smith officiating.
For those considering an expression of sympathy, the family requests that donations be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607 or online at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org or to The Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Kimmel Cancer Center, 750 East Pratt Street, Suite 1700, Baltimore, MD 21202 or online at www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org.
Arrangements by Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson.