Arlie Georgina Freer

Arlie Georgina Freer

June 20, 1931 - April 21, 2026

Arlie Georgina Freer was born on June 20, 1931 in The Pas, Manitoba.

From the Pas, the young family moved to the nearby wild frontier town of Cranberry Portage. Eventually, the family pulled up roots once more and moved further north to the mining town of Flin Flon. Growing up in Flin Flon was an enriching and enlightening time for Arlie.

Arlie was an exceptional academic student, earning high marks throughout elementary and secondary school. In 1948, her graduating year from high school, Arlie received His Excellency Governor General and Lady Alexander's medal for top academic performance.

Her parents purchased Arlie a piano and she received first-rate grades, awards, trophies, and honours.

In 1948, Arlie began her first year of undergraduate studies at United College in Winnipeg because of its high academic reputation. It was here that Arlie met the love of her life, Gordon John Freer. For Gordon, it was love at first sight yet it took him a year to muster the courage to ask Arlie for a date.

Arlie and Gordon were married on August 8, 1951 in Flin Flon. The newly married couple spent their honeymoon at the family camp at Lake Athapapuskow where her parents had built three cabins. With its tranqil setting, the camp became Arlie and Gordon's spiritual home.

The couple accepted a ministerial charge in Emerson, Manitoba. While Gordon was the minister, it should be noted that a minister's spouse was an integral unpaid member of the ministerial team, helping to advanced the work of the church. It was a role which Arlie devoted much time and dedication.

While in Emerson, at the Altona Community Hospital, Arlie and Gordon welcomed their first daughter, Cathy, into the world on October 23, 1953. Their second daughter, Elene, was born on May 15, 1956 in Flin Flon where they had temporarily moved to avoid the Red River flood.

In the fall of 1956, the family drove to Cambridge, Massachusetts, so Gordon could attend Harvard University and earned his Master of Arts in Philosophical Theology. While Gordon studied, Arlie cared for their daughters. She attended and organized special study groups for the spouses of graduate students.

In 1958, the family moved to Toronto. When Cathy and Elene were in elementary school, Arlie resumed studying for her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto. She also qualified for her teacher and librarian's credentials. Graduating in 1964, Arlie was hired by the Humber Valley Village School in Etobicoke where she remained until her retirement.

Being an elementary school teacher librarian was Arlie's professional and passionate calling. She had an unbridled curiosity for learning in all its forms and for literature whether it was fiction or non-fiction. Her teaching philosophy was that children were our intellectual equals, they just needed the experience that comes from the development of constructive thinking and the pursuit of knowledge that we, as adults, can help them to discover with gentle guidance and leadership. Part of her class curriculum always included time to read out loud to her students. It was a habit that continued at home as she diligently read to her daughters. It was a pleasurable activity that took place with her grandson Chris and his children Mitchell, Chloe, and Julia. When her great grandchildren would visit, Arlie would often send them home with books. Needless to say, Arlie and Gordon read copiously on a wide variety of subjects.

In 1989, Arlie and Gordon retired and spent a great deal of time at their Haliburton cottage where they pursued various interests. For both of them, that meant their love of reading. Retirement also meant the creative pursuit of art. Building willow furniture and gardening for Arlie and stone sculpture for Gordon.

Travel was important and they visited France, Iceland, England, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, and other countries including across our own Canada.

After 44 years in Toronto, Arlie and Gordon moved to Bracebridge in 2002. Immediately, Arlie immersed herself into their new community by joining groups and volunteering for the Bracebridge Public Library. She joined the Library’s Board in 2007, becoming its chairperson. Along with staff and other board members, it was Arlie's leadership, devotion, commitment, and perseverance that paved the way for a larger, state of the art library that would serve the growing needs of Bracebridge.

In recognition of Arlie's volunteerism, she was awarded the Bracebridge Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award in 2017.

Arlie stepped down from the library board in 2019 when she became her husband's primary caregiver. With increasing help from Cathy and Elene, this enabled the couple to continue living together in their home until Gordon's death on August 14, 2024. It was not easy work for Arlie but it was deeply rooted in her profound love and devotion to the man to whom she had been married for 73 years.

Her loving steadfast loyalty to Gordon exemplified the importance of family to Arlie.

Friendship was also important to Arlie and Gordon who both maintained life-long relationships. Arlie kept in contact with childhood friends, classmates from university, and colleagues. Moving to Bracebridge gave the couple a new opportunity to create wonderful friendships that they came to deeply cherished.

On November 14, 2025, Arlie had a serious fall at home that resulted in a lengthy hospital stay. As a family, it was agreed that, when discharged, Arlie would live with Elene where she could be cared for and have companionship provided by both daughters.

Cathy and Elene were committed to caring for Arlie at home. It was the last profound act of love that they could give give their Mom who had nurtured, cared, counseled, and unconditionally loved them. They wanted every minute of every day and night of her final earthly time to be surrounded, comforted, and loved by her family.

The time came when Arlie needed more medical care than could be provided at home. Arlie moved to Andy's House, a palliative care home in nearby Port Carling. It was a bittersweet decision for the two daughters knowing that their Mom's life was coming to a close. It was also a comforting decision in that she would continue to receive incredible and compassionate care.

Five days later, Arlie died quietly, in her sleep, in the early morning of April 21, 2026.

Arlie will always be loved by daughters Cathy and Elene, grandson Chris (Robyn), great-grandchildren Mitchell, Chloe, and

Julia, sister-in-law Judy Johnson (Warren), nephew Paul Johnson, niece

Carolyn McNarry (Mike), and great-nephew Brayden.

A Service of Remembrance & Reflection for the life of Arlie will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026 beginning at 2pm at Reynolds Funeral Home in Bracebridge. For people unable to personally attend, the service will be livestreamed at https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=4155c70c-72d8-4bdf-897f-6124132176f1

Please Note: Before you can view the memorial service, you will need to register and determine what method/device you will view the service as a guest (email or text). The link provided above will instruct you before you can view the livestream service.

Memorial donations may be made to:

Muskoka Hospice, Andy's House, https://www.hospicemuskoka.com/giving.