Janet Freed

Janet Lea Freed passed away in her sleep in the early morning hours of August 1, 2022 -- forty-one years to the day after her father passed away. Born March 27, 1941 in Jonesboro, Arkansas to Vance Lee and Helen Gibson Triplitt, she was a talented and modest person who held her family dear. Her devotion to family must have been influenced by her childhood experiences of growing up in a household consisting not only of herself and two parents but both of her grandmothers and a great-grandmother as well.

Growing up in Jonesboro, she and her family were active in the Assembly of God Church. After graduating from Jonesboro High School in 1959 she became the first in her family to graduate college when she did so in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Arkansas State University. Later she also earned a master’s degree in education from the same school. Her passion for playing the piano, organ, and accordion was combined with her education craft when she began teaching music on the side.

Eventually a blind date led to her marriage to Melvyn Norris Freed who was a vice president at Arkansas State University. They were married in Memphis, Tennessee at Temple Israel on the day after Christmas in 1971 and settled in Jonesboro. There, their two sons were born. David Alexander in 1974 and Edward Lawrence in 1975. Janet and Melvyn were devoted to each other and their family for 47 years until his sudden death in May 2019.

Janet said she always felt blessed to have been able to stay at home raising her two boys in their early years. However, in the mid-1980’s she returned to teaching after the family moved to Hazel Crest, IL in 1977. She taught elementary school until her retirement from Harvey School District #152 in 2007. She was a resident of Hazel Crest for 45 years.

Her many talents and interests included being a musician, a painter, a photographer, an accomplished seamstress of much clothing and quilts, and the family genealogist. She again leveraged her background as an educator when she assisted with the music program at her son’s Sunday school at Temple Beth Shalom in Park Forest as well as local churches. And she lent her artistic talents to her husband to assist him in executing many of his ideas and ventures.

Both she and Melvyn were active in Temple Anshe Shalom for many years.

The outpouring of support her family has received in her memory proves that hers was a life well lived. May her memory be a blessing.

Janet is survived by her two sons and their families. David, his wife Alicia, and their son Max live in Bellaire, Texas. Edward and his wife Janet, affectionately known as Janet #2, live in Chicago. Mr. Champ, her much beloved poodle of twelve years, has found a new adopted home which gave Janet some solace.

Funeral services will be officiated by Rabbi Paul Caplan, retired from Congregation Anshe Shalom in Olympia Fields, IL. Visitation and services will be held August 5, 2022 at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home located at 15525 South 73rd Avenue, Orland Park, IL 60462 (Wheeler Dr./155th & Harlem). Visitation begins at 9am with a service following at 11am. Graveside services will follow, beginning at approximately 12:15 pm at Orland Memorial Park Cemetery, 153rd St. & West Avenue, Orland Park, IL 60462.

Pallbearers will be sons David and Edward, grandson Maxwell, family friend and neighbor Sam Pierce, and family friends and former neighbors Matthew Austin and Michael Gregori.

Below is a photo tribute celebrating Janet's life.