Freeman Herman Sebastian, 94, formerly of Jackson, most recently of Cape Girardeau, left this world the way he did most everything -- in a quiet, dignified manner on Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, at Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

Freeman Sebastian

He was born Nov. 20, 1928, near Whitewater, son of Hugo Henry and Amanda Wilhelmina Fluegge Sebastian. He and Shirley Ann Zeller were married Aug. 23, 1953, at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tilsit.

Freeman was a 1946 graduate of Jackson High School. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on June 12, 1951, served in the Korean Conflict and was honorably discharged at the rank of corporal May 27, 1953. Freeman was a lifelong member of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tilsit, having been baptized, confirmed and married there. He served and held many offices and was the Sunday school teacher for fifth grade for 16 years.

He loved God, his family and country. Freeman was no stranger to working hard on the family farm and at his jobs. He was enthusiastic and passionate about his family, the land he cared for, whether it be his crops in the field, his yard or his beautiful flowers and garden. Freeman was a quiet man, yet always knew just the right thing to say. He was a loving husband, father, grandpa and great-grandpa. In his later years, he loved entertaining and making wooden toys for his grandchildren or driving them around the woods in his specially made "Grandchildren Wagon" pulled by his lawn tractor. He will be dearly missed by all his young family fishing buddies.

In addition to his dedication and working on the family farm, Freeman's employment included Jackson Frozen Food Locker, Lee-Rowan (now Rubbermaid) and HWI (Do It Best) for 19 years as a warehouse worker, retiring in 1994. After retirement, he and Shirley enjoyed traveling and spending time together and with their children and grandchildren.

Loving survivors include his wife of 69 years, Shirley Z. Sebastian; three children, Randy (Mary) Sebastian, and their daughter, Heather (Dennis) Coventon and their children, Lilly and Roman, a son, Adan Sebastian, and daughter, Annie Sebastian; Sherry Sebastian and husband, Tony Jesse, and son, Jeremy (Heather) Jesse and their children Presten and Cameren, son, Skyler (Heidi) Jesse; Patty Sebastian and husband, Jeff Sherman, and their son, Tyler Sherman, and daughter, Hailey Sherman; and a sister, Jean Eftink.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Norman, Elmer, Nelson and Walter Sebastian; and a sister, Esther Sebastian Devenport.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 3, at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tilsit.

Funeral will follow at noon Saturday, Dec. 3., at the church, with the Rev. Mark Boettcher officiating. Interment will follow in Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery in Tilsit, with full military honors.

Freeman's pallbearers will be grandsons Skyler Jesse, Adan Sebastian and Tyler Sherman, and nephews Dewayne Whitener, Gregg Zeller and Kyle Barks; and granddaughters as honorary pallbearers, Annie Sebastian and Hailey Sherman.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church and or Cemetery.

To send an online condolence to the family, visit McCombs Funeral Home website at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com; then click on the "tribute wall" tab of Freeman's personal obituary.