Obituary of Marion Healy Freund

Marion Healy Freund died on March 28, 2024 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. She was born in Chicago Illinois in 1923 to Patrick and Ellen Healy. She moved from Chicago to Gainesville Florida with her husband Gerhard who joined the medical faculty at the University of Florida in 1963. They had two children, Anne and Michael. Marion often said that her proudest achievements were the successes of her two children and a long and loving marriage of 59 years. Marion attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Florida with a Masters and Specialist degrees in Counselor Education. She began her professional career in the practice of Marriage and Family therapy in private practice in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida. She retired from practice in 2001 and was active in several civic organizations, donating her time to their advancement. She served on the boards of Child Care Resources, The Spouse Abuse Shelter, the Gainesville Chapter of the United Nations, as well as on the Alachua County Library Foundation, helping to raise funds for these organizations. She was a member Emeritus of Altrusa and served on their board. Membership in other organizations meant a great deal to her, such as the American Association of University Women, the University of Florida Medical Guild, the University of Florida Women’s Club, Leadership Gainesville, the League of Women Voters, and PEO, an organization of women supporting the education of young women. She also served several years on the Education Committee of Gainesville Commission on the Status of Women. Survivors include her daughter Dr. Anne Freund and son-in-law Mr. Gregory Bakeman of Fort Meyers, Florida and son Dr. Michael Freund and daughter-in-law Dr. Cecilia Basic of Halifax, Nova Scotia. She will be greatly missed by her two grandchildren Amy Rubin (Sal Bartoloma) and Christopher Freund. She is also survived by her sister Theresan Kelly (formerly Kaefer) of Chicago, Illinois and her Healy and Kaefer nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren. Preceding her in death include her husband Dr. Gerhard Freund and her brothers Dr. John P. Healy, Dr. Michael Healy and Mr. Robert E. Healy and brother-in-law Andrew Kelly. Cremation has taken place. Plans are underway for a service and celebration of Marion’s life to be held in the summer with Interment to follow at that time. Flowers are gratefully declined. If you wish, you can make a donation in Marion’s name to any of the organizations above that she supported.