Ray Freeny, Jr.

V. Raymond Freeny Jr., 73, of College Park, MD, died of metastatic colon cancer on Friday, June 9, at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Son of the late Virgil R. and Bernice Hopkins Freeny of Centreville, MD, Ray was also predeceased by his brother, James R. Freeny of Snow Hill, MD. A graduate of Centreville High School, Ray earned a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1966. He worked for several years as an engineer before returning to the University of Maryland to study psychology and becoming a social worker in Baltimore City. He married Maralita (Micki) Lipps in 1974. In 1976 he left the workforce to renovate a Civil War–era townhouse in the Seton Hill area of Baltimore. Ray was a stay-at-home father to son Devon and daughter Kyle until they entered school. He then became a substitute teacher at Parkdale High School and subsequently became a math teacher for the Archdiocese of Washington, teaching in schools in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. He retired from St. Catherine Laboure in Wheaton in 2006.

Ray was a lifelong runner; he completed several marathons and competed in the Army Ten-Miler as late as 2014. In his retirement he enjoyed puzzles and playing bridge, both online and with a group of fellow retirees in University Park, MD. Until he became very ill, Ray was a volunteer docent at the National Building Museum and a reader at homeless shelters in Washington, DC, for the Reading Connection of Arlington VA.

In addition to his wife Micki, his son Devon of Chicago, IL, and his daughter Kyle of Washington, DC, Ray is survived by many beloved nieces, nephews and siblings by marriage. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ray’s memory to Holy Redeemer Church, College Park, MD (services to poor and homeless families); the National Building Museum; or WAMU-FM.