This site is a tribute to Barbara Freeman. She is much loved and will always be remembered.

Barbara was born in Blackpool on 8th July 1934, and shortly after the family moved first to St Margaret's, and then Wimbledon, both in South-West London. She had one brother, David, who is two years younger than her. During they war the family were briefly evacuated, staying with family in Preston. Barbara spent her teenage years at boarding school, which she greatly enjoyed, eventually becoming Head Girl.
Upon leaving school Barbara trained as a physiotherapist, and would talk about how she had to give treatment to members of the Chelsea football team. She became an accomplished piano player and also later learned the guitar. Her love of music stayed with her throughout her life and was passed on to all of her children.
She met Peter Freeman in the local Catholic Church Social Club, and they quickly fell in love and were married in July 1957. Their love and their marriage was the bedrock of both their lives: in 2022 they celebrated 65 years of marriage, receiving congratulations from the late Queen.
In 1958 their son Richard was born. This was followed by three more boys: Mark (1960); Jonathan (1963) and Tony (born on Barbara's birthday in 1966). Starting in London, the family moved to Nottingham and then Bedford, where they spent many happy years as the children grew up. Barbara continued to work as a physiotherapist in the NHS, before eventually running her own practice from their home in Bewcastle Close.
During these years Barbara became very involved in a number of organisations, include the Bedford Women’s Refuge; the English Speaking Union; and the WI. This reflected both her wide-ranging interests and social conscience. She was a lifelong active member of the Catholic Church.
In the 1990s as the boys went their own way, Barbara and Peter retired and began to travel widely, including trips to Russia; Canada (twice); New England; Scandinavia; and various parts of Europe and the UK. They were regular visitors to France with driving holidays every year. They had a number of shared passions: bridge; concerts; the theatre; but above all they liked to spend time with family and their many friends, making the most of their new-found freedom.
As grandchildren came along, Barbara loved her new role. She read with and played with the new family members, and provided unwavering help and support to her daughters-in-law.
In the early 2000s Barbara and Peter moved to Bristol to be closer to Mark’s family, and they threw themselves into making a new life there, making many new friends and developing their existing interests. In 2017 they moved to the newly built Audley Retirement Village, where they enjoyed a slower pace of life in comfortable surroundings with excellent food literally under their feet (their apartment was above the restaurant).
Sadly, Barbara suffered a number of falls, which eventually led to her final stay in hospital and then a nursing home. She was delighted to see her first great-grandchild, Arley, who arrived in November 2022. Barbara passed away peacefully, surrounded by members of her close family, on the evening of Saturday 18th March 2023, aged 88 years.
 
We remember Barbara with so much love: wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. May you rest in peace.