Pastor Gary L. Freeman, 63, of Bethlehem, died March 25, 2017, surrounded by his family at Lehigh Valley Hospice, Allentown, after a long courageous battle with cancer. He was the husband of Donna (Stoudt) Freeman. They would have celebrated 39 years of marriage this June. Born in East Stroudsburg, he was a son of Paul L. and Elizabeth (Kaetzel) Freeman, of Illinois.

He was a graduate of Emmaus High School and a 1975 graduate of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College, Owatonna, Minn. For three summers he was in the “Preacher Boy Program” at Calvary Baptist Church, Lansdale, under the direction of Dr. E.R. Jordan. In 1976, he and his father felt led to start an independent Baptist church in the Allentown/Bethlehem area. This church was named Bethlehem Bible Church, then Fundamental Bible Church and finally the Race Street Baptist Church located in Catasauqua and where he has remained the pastor from the start.

He is survived by his wife; parents; daughter, Rachel L. and her husband Mark Reno; son, Jason G. and his wife Kelly; brother, Paul C. and his wife Deborah; sisters, Diane J. and Beth J.; grandchildren Caleb and Lydia and Stephen, Katie, Trisha and Reuben Reno.

Funeral services will be held noon April 1 at the Race Street Baptist Church, 610 Race St., Catasauqua, 18032. A viewing will be held 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 31 at the Brubaker Funeral Home, Inc., 234 Walnut St., Catasauqua, 18032 and 11 a.m. to noon at the church.