1989 Owen J. Roberts Graduate Passes Away At 49

Image and obituary courtesy Campbell Ennis Klotzbach Funeral Home

James (Jamie) B. Frees, II of East Coventry Township born June 28, 1971 received peace in the early morning hours of February 1, 2018.

Jamie is survived by his bride of twenty-two years Michelle Mayfield Frees and the light of his life his daughter Mckinley Frees. He also had two loving Labradors Honey and Macey.

Jamie is also survived by his father, J. Barrie Frees of East Vincent Township, sister Karen Frees Elsmore of East Vincent Township and half-sister Vida Kern (wife of Carl) of Sewell, New Jersey. Lovingly known as Uncle Mimi to his niece Libby Elsmore and nephews Alex and Murphy Elsmore and Gardner Kern. He was predeceased by his mother, Jane Symons Frees.

He was a 1989 graduate of Owen J. Roberts and 1993 graduate of West Virginia University.

Jamie represented the Owen J. Roberts School District in many respects. He served as School Board Director for over eight years, recently reelected and sworn in to a third term. Since 2010 he was the Chairperson of the Board's Finance Committee and served as President of the Board in 2014 and Vice-President in 2012.

He was a member of the OJR Music Parents Organization and assisted the OJR HS Marching Band in numerous ways from moving equipment, driving the equipment truck or pulling the trailer to serving as announcer at the Fall Preview and Annual Cavalcade.

Jamie founded and served as President of the Coventry Rugby Football Club. He was a member of the Famous Bucktown Boosters. He also served as a member of the Board of Charlestown Playschool.

He was a member of St. Peter's UCC in Knauertown. Jamie was also a member of the Mt. Pickering Masonic Lodge and Reading Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.

Jamie worked in the banking industry for over twenty years. He was employed as a Commercial Lender with First Citizens Community Bank in their Narvon office. Previously, he worked for Ephrata National Bank, Harleysville National Bank, National Penn Bank and Elverson National Bank. Jamie also worked as a lifeguard at Brigantine, New Jersey through high school and college.

He was a true WVU Mountaineer fan and loved hunting and spending time at Mountaineer Lodge, his cabin in Blossburg, Pennsylvania.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral service on Monday, February 5, 2018 at 11:30 am at the Zion Lutheran Church, 39 Bonnie Brae Road, Spring City. Officiating will be the Rev. John Kolle, Pastor Ron Hughes, and Pastor Peter Detterline. Interment will follow in the Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery. Friends will be received from 3:00 - 5:00 pm Sunday afternoon at the Cattermole-Klotzbach Funeral Home, 600 Washington Street, Royersford and from 9:00 - 11:00 am Monday at the Church. Memorial contributions may be made to benefit the Owen J. Roberts Community to the Jamie Frees Memorial Fund, c/o Phoenixville Federal Bank, P.O. Box 708, Phoenixville, PA 19460.