Oh, man. I hate that I never track these things well enough before the

obituaries. I play clarinet too, though not at his level, and I've been a

band librarian too. RIP, APAM. :(

On Mon, Oct 12, 2026, 14:17 Ted Roche <tedroche@gmail.com> wrote:

> Sad news. I considered Dan a good friend. He and I hung out a couple of

> times when his training schedule brought him to Massachusetts. And he was a

> great regular at conferences in the 90's. We shared our experiences in the

> military, and he was rightfully proud of his important work with "The

> President's Own Marine Corp Band." RIP, my friend.

>

>

> https://obituaries.sunsetfuneralhome.com/daniel-freeman

>

> Obit below,

>

> Daniel J. Freeman

> Daniel Joseph Freeman was born on September 3, 1958, in Champaign,

> Illinois, and died on July 17, 2026, in Urbana, Illinois.

>

> Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Jane Ellen (Hutchinson) Freeman

> and Orrin Jackson Freeman. He is survived by his sister, Judith Lynn

> Freeman of Aurora, Colorado.

>

> Dan’s passion for music developed at an early age. Through his father, he

> was introduced to Dixieland music and began studying the clarinet. As his

> musical talent grew, so did his love for classical and symphonic music.

>

> While attending the University of Illinois, Dan became an active member of

> an elite specialty clarinet choir. Through his involvement with the

> organization, he expanded his musical abilities beyond performance,

> developing skills in musical arranging and conducting.

>

> During this same period, Dan worked in the archives of the University of

> Illinois Library, where he learned the specialized skills of restoring and

> preserving rare books. His unusual combination of musical knowledge,

> technical ability, and appreciation for historical preservation would

> eventually lead him to a remarkable career with the United States Marine

> Band.

>

> Dan served as librarian for the Marine Band, where he was involved in

> preserving original manuscripts of the renowned American composer and

> bandleader John Philip Sousa. During his tenure, he also became an early

> pioneer in the use of microcomputers, introducing computer cataloging to

> help organize the Marine Band’s extensive collection of music.

>

> After his military service, Dan pursued a career as a computer engineer,

> developing software applications and bringing his technical talents to a

> new field.

>

> In retirement, Dan enjoyed the simple pleasures of time spent with friends

> and the things he loved. He enjoyed playing board games, woodworking,

> taking walks with his dog, Major, and cheering on his beloved Chicago Cubs.

>

> Dan will be remembered for his extraordinary combination of musical talent,

> intellectual curiosity, technical skill, and devotion to preserving the

> things he valued. His life connected music, history, technology, and

> friendship in ways that were uniquely his own.

>