WILLIAM CECIL (CEC) FREEMAN

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WILLIAM CECIL (CEC) FREEMAN Retired General Manager Motor Coach Industries Suddenly at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus - in his 92nd year. Born in Kenora, Ontario, the only son of the late William and Clara (Gaye) Freeman, he was predeceased by his wife Millicent and eldest sister Violet (Stevens) of Kenora; Cecil will be sorely missed by his loving son Donald Cecil and grandson William Michael of Toronto; his sisters Lillian (Whiteman) and Phyllis (Spencer) and his nephew George (Bud) Stevens, all of Kenora. In his youth, Cecil was active in hockey, rowing and the outdoor activities of Lake of the Woods. In the mid-thirties Cec worked on survey crews constructing the Red Lake Hwy. In 1938, upon graduation from the aviation technology programme at Douglas Aircraft in Alameda, California, he accepted a position in Fort William (Thunder Bay) with Canadian Car, which produced Hawker Hurricane and Curtis Helldiver fighter aircraft. He continued his love of sports particularly as coxswain for the very successful bantam eight team of the Fort William Rowing Club. In 1939, he married Millicent Alice Crawley of Winnipeg. She was the love of his life and his soul mate for the next 69 years until her passing on New Year's Eve 2006. In 1959 the family moved to Montreal when Can Car opened a new truck manufacturing division. In 1964, when production was transferred back to Fort William; Cecil, after 25 years service, chose to remain in Montreal and accepted a position as body shop manager at Bonaventure Ltd. - the maintenance division of Grey Lines. In 1967, Cecil was recruited as assembly plant manager for a new Motor Coach Industries plant in Winnipeg and subsequently General Manager until his retirement in 1983. In 1989, Millie and Cecil moved from Winnipeg to Ottawa to be closer to their son and grandson who gave them so much joy and was the apple of their eyes . A private ceremony and interment took place at Pinecrest Cemetery on January 11. The family requests those wishing to honour Cecil donate in his memory to the Canadian Diabetes Association.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 26, 2008