Freeborn Kellogg

Published 8:16 am Saturday, September 5, 2020

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Dec. 20, 1933 — Aug. 21, 2020

Freeborn (Free) Kellogg died Aug. 21, 2020, surrounded by the love of his family.

He was born Dec. 20, 1933, in South Bend, the fifth out of six children to Winnifred (Mickey) and Norman Kellogg.

He held many jobs to support his young family, including chief of police in Cassopolis. Free was a spiritual man, formed easy connections with youth and volunteered to lead teen church and music groups. He was mentor to many.

Free loved a wide variety of music, singing with guitar or banjo to his children when little. He met his wife, Lynn, while volunteering to help manage a coffee house for weekly acoustic music in Kalamazoo. They married in 1979.

In his 50s, Free earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and followed a calling to teach; inspiring many to follow their dreams no matter their age. He taught high school English in Coloma until retirement in 2000 and went on to teach part time at Lake Michigan College until age 80.

Free traveled extensively, loved nature, sailing, had a passion for cooking and writing poetry and prose. He was quick with a smile or laugh and cherished friends and family deeply.

Surviving to treasure his memory are wife, Lynn Biasell Kellogg; children, Kevin Laine (Barbara) Kellogg, Katie Charlene (Kevin) O’Meara, Winnifred Mary Maguire, Elizabeth (Beth) Anne Kellogg, Amanda Lee (John) Benjamin, Matthew Peter (John) Kellogg; 21 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren; sister, Judy (Dick) Richter; brother, Tom Kellogg; two foreign exchange daughters, many nieces, nephews and friends.

Private burial: North Shore Memory Gardens. Arrangements: Starks and Menchinger where condolences can be left at starks-menchinger.com.

Donations in Free’s name can be made to Region IV Area Agency on Aging.