Helen Kathryn Cloninger Freeman, 80, of Lake Wylie, South Carolina, died on Saturday, December 20, 2025. She was born in Gaston County on May 24, 1945, a daughter of the late Clyde Austell Cloninger and Katie Helen Friday Cloninger.
Kathryn was married to Lt. Colonel James Edward Freeman of Lake Wylie, South Carolina for 58 years. They spent much of their life together living in different parts of the United States as well as several years in Europe, where her husband was stationed at the United States Air Force Medical Hospital and Air Base in Wiesbaden, Germany. Lt. Colonel Freeman served as the Aerospace Physiologist there and Kathryn taught school for the Department of Defense School System at Hainerberg Elementary School. In 1987, when Jim was transferred to Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, California, Kathryn once again taught elementary school and eventually became the Fine Arts Coordinator for the San Bernardino City Unified School District. A longtime advocate for the benefits of arts and music in childhood development, she worked as a liaison with the Music Center of Los Angeles, bringing ARTS programs, including musicians, dancers and artists of many genres, to the children of San Bernardino. For her efforts, Kathryn was honored with a prestigious BRAVO award. She enjoyed her work very much, but in 2000, after 35 years of teaching, she retired and moved with her husband back home to Lake Wylie, South Carolina where they both loved gardening, bird watching and visiting with their grandchildren. Kathryn spent countless hours practicing and playing the grand piano her mother Helen had given her years before. She was also an avid photographer and enjoyed documenting life’s important events for her family. Of all the achievements she enjoyed throughout her life, Kathryn’s greatest sense of accomplishment came from her unconditional love and pride in her family.
Kathryn received a B.A. degree in Elementary Education from Greensboro College in 1967. She received an M.A. degree in Educational Counseling from the University of Redlands, Redlands, California in 1989. She was a life-long member of the Major William Chronicle Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Kathryn is survived by her husband, Jim and a son, James Lee Freeman, his wife, Suzanne Villandry Freeman of Los Angeles, California and their two daughters, Vivienne Kathryn Freeman and Clara Simonne Freeman. She is also survived by her daughter, Laura Shelton Freeman Young, her husband, Paul James Young and their son, Henry James Young of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. Additionally, Kathryn is survived by her brother, David Andrew Cloninger and wife, Jann Talley Cloninger; sister-in-law, Anne Freeman Platt and her husband, George Platt, III of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and sister-in-law, Susan Iversen Freeman of Flat Rock, North Carolina and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Kathryn was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Annabelle Helen Young.
The family will receive friends at First Presbyterian Church of Belmont, North Carolina from 11:00 AM until 12:00 PM on Saturday, January 3, 2026. A memorial service will begin at 12:00 PM with Pastor Sam Warner officiating. A private graveside service will be at Gaston Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Kathy may be made to the Katie Helen Friday Cloninger Piano Scholarship Fund, c/o G.M.E.F. Yulia Helm, 2202 Scottwood Dr, Gastonia, North Carolina 28054 or the Annabelle Forever Young Foundation at www.annabelleforeveryoung.com.
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