Rev. Merritt Freier
November 9, 2005

Rev. Merritt D. Freier, age 84, of 1711 Wilmar Orchard, Quincy, died Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005 at 1:45 pm in his home.

He was born April 19, 1921 in Onaway, Michigan, the son of Paul and Nettie Doolittle Freier. On June 21, 1952, he married Mary June "Pollee" Thomson in Detroit, MI. She survives.

Rev. Freier was a graduate of Onaway High School and a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute. He began his career in ministry, left to go into business, and at age 50 he returned to the ministry in Flora, IL. He came to Quincy as pastor of Grandview Baptist Church in 1975, and he founded Living Word Fellowship in 1979. In 1980 he started Living Word Bible College. He pastored the church until his retirement in 2001. He was a popular guest speaker at churches in Virginia, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Canada.

Additionally, he was very active in community theater. He directed and acted with "The Alpha Players" in St. Louis, MO. He founded a community theater in Flora, IL, and he was active in the Quincy Community Theater.

Rev. Freier was a member of the Quincy Gun Club and he enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved to play duplicate bridge, and he pitched fast pitch softball into his 60's.

Survivors in addition to his wife are a son, Merritt T. Freier and his wife Corrine, Quincy; a daughter, Mollie Freier, Springfield, IL; 3 grandchildren: Hannah, Emily, and Abigail Freier, all of Quincy; a sister, Hesper Goodpaster, Sturgis, MI. He was preceded in death by 3 brothers: Orrin, Sterling, and Vesper Freier.

Memorial Services will be on Saturday, November 12, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. at Living Word Fellowship with the Pastor Tom Hamilton officiating. The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 P.M. on Friday at the Hansen-Spear Funeral home. Memorials may be given to Living Word or a charity of the donor's choice.

Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

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