John T. Freedman, DDS, a former Skaneateles resident, passed away on Sept. 24, 2019 at the Hock Family Pavilion in Durham, NC. At age 73, he ended his valiant fight with cancer surrounded by the love of his family.
Born on Feb. 20, 1946, John was the son of Edward and Pauline Freedman and he grew up in Frankfort, N.Y. He married Mary Margaret Seymour at Saints Peter and Paul Church in 1969 and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July.
John was a 1964 graduate of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School and enrolled at Hamilton College. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1968 and was the starting quarterback on Hamilton’s Varsity Football team. He graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1972 with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. John then served as a Lieutenant at Brunswick Naval Air Station in Maine before moving to Skaneateles in 1974. John practiced dentistry with kindness and excellence for over 30 years. In 2006, John and Mary Margaret retired to Venice, FL, where they lived for 13 years before moving to Cary, NC, in July 2019.
John was a leader, an active community member and a man of great faith. He was a communicant of St. Mary’s of the Lake in Skaneateles and St. Thomas More in Sarasota, FL. John served as a volunteer coach for several youth sports teams, sat on the Skaneateles Country Club Board of Directors and several committees at The Venetian, and he also volunteered at Habitat for Humanity. He enjoyed golf, fly-fishing and bicycling. John brought his contagious smile and quick wit to all that he did and he will always be remembered for his trademark sense of humor.
Above all, he loved his family. He is survived by his wife Mary Margaret; son John (Allison), Saratoga Springs, New York; son Eric (Jamie), Chapel Hill, NC; his cherished grandchildren Hailey, Elle, Conner and John; brother Edward (Karen), Frankfort, N.Y.; brother-in-law Burton (Laurie), Orlando, FL, and his beloved nephews and nieces.
A memorial mass was celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, at St. Mary’s of the Lake Church, 81 Jordan St., Skaneateles. In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to the Dr. John T. Freedman Fund at the Skaneateles Education Foundation. Donation details can be found at skanedfoundation.org/donate/ or by calling (315) 291-2212.
