John Freeman ... part of '82 Spaulding champion football team

SALISBURY, Mass. - John Freeman, 56 of Salisbury, died on Tuesday, Oct., 12, following a long bout with skin cancer. Born and raised in Rochester, N.H., he was self-named "The shutdown corner" of the 1982 Spaulding High State Champion Football Team.

He is survived by his sister Lisa Freeman, brother Jim Freeman and his wife Cheryl. Other family members include nephews Matt Freeman and wife Leah, Andy Freeman, Adam Freeman and Buddy Porelle; nieces Lauren Freeman and husband Jesse, Julianne Freeman, and Linda Freeman. He is predeceased by his dogs, Wilson, Nixon, and Molly, his parents Lawrence and Ann Freeman, brother Stephen Freeman, sister Cheryl Porelle and niece Jordan Porelle. He will be missed by his many friends that treated him like family and his long-term partner, Julie Shaheen.

Despite his less than average lifespan, he did not live an average life. His life was a combination of fun, humor and chaos. Before graduating high school, he enjoyed giving blood playing for the Dover Rugby Football Club and consuming keg beer without being asked for his fake ID from Battle Creek, Mich. He attended classes at the University of New Hampshire mostly for access to extra-curricular activities including pledging the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He then moved west to California, selling cars and becoming the inspiration for the Owen Wilson character in You, Me and Dupree. He left California to attend the Coastal Aviation School in New Bern, N.C. While falling short of converting his flying hours into an Airline Transport License and an aviation career, he utilized flight terminology throughout the remainder of his natural life in every conversation or joke he told. He liked to rent a Cessna to fly friends while respecting his rule of eight hours between the bottle and the throttle. Confusing single engine planes and rockets, he entered parties like has was John Glenn, saying "Houston, tranquility. Base here. The Eagle has landed." He was known to come in hot with twin screws after losing a wing at 6000 feet and average gas. When he left a party, you needed to clean up runway 22 with foam and power wash the surrounding areas.

He became a banquet bar manager at the Samoset Resort in Maine and utilized his ability to coerce inebriated unsuspecting customers into next day timeshare tours. The nighttime bartender, daytime salesman, soon became known as "the closer." Samoset sold out, ending his sales job. He then became a regional liquor distributor for United Beverages. He demonstrated his bartering skills when friends visited by going to the fishing docks of Rockland, Maine, in his van, Blue Magic, where he would convert a few shot bottles of Jack Daniels and a neon orange Wyooter Hooter hunting hat into 50 pounds of live lobster.

John returned to New Hampshire and founded Pioneer Painters. For the next 25 years, he freshened up numerous homes and businesses throughout NH, Maine and the North Shore of MA. He moved ladders often, living in Salisbury and Georgetown, MA, Rochester and Milton, NH at times taking 6-month vacations to live with his sisters in Colorado and New Jersey. He even tried returning to rugby in his 40s. That venture lasted one game. He helped Seacoast win by scoring their only two tries and proceeded to spend the next 6 months sleeping on the floor at night due to back pain.

He was proud of being the first person in the family to own a business. He was frequently known to have a last-minute cancellation and offer a significant discount, but only if you could commit on the spot and have his crew start work tomorrow. His 5-year-guarantee for repainting any "holidays" or chips has unfortunately been canceled due to his recent demise. If you can find his crew Fogg Dogg, Cote, Cuckoo, Ray Tate and Rocket, they may be willing to provide a "fresh coat" for you in his memory.