Dale Freeland was born on February 2, 1931 in Bowling Green Kentucky.  He was one of eight from the union of Willie Pearl (Bracken) and Harry Herbert Freeland.  At an early age he moved from Bowling Green to Cincinnati, Ohio. He went to Jackson School and Harriet Beecher Stowe school in the West End, a school for African Americans, where he received his education.

As a young man worked for the City of Cincinnati as a garbage man. After an accident on the job, he became the first African American dispatcher for the City of Cincinnati.  For the next thirty years he dispatched the fire trucks, police cars, maintenance and snow removal trucks for the City.

Dale was very active.  He did his afternoon power walk in the neighborhood.  He loved to sit on his porch and watch the activities on the street.  Many times, he would have people come on the porch for chats that would turn into discussion or even debates.   He enjoyed a good meal, but his favorite thing to eat was the peach cobbler that his daughter Polly made.  He loved watching westerns.  His favorite was Buck and the Preacher. After 34 years of service, Dale retired from the City of Cincinnati.  This gave him more time to spend with his family including his eighteen grandchildren, thirty-nine great grandchildren and nine great great grandchildren.  He was also an active member of New Jerusalem Baptist Church where he attended regularly until his stroke in May 2017. He departed this life peacefully on August 14, 2020 into the waiting arms of the Lord. Dale was preceded in death by his first wife Ruth Parker (Winfree); his second wife Arvinia (Quates); daughter Barbara Parker; His parents, Harry Herbert Freeland and Willie Pearl Freeland.    He was also preceded in death by his brothers Harry Odell Freeland, Thomas Neal Freeland, William Freeland, Walter Eugene Freeland, Robert Louis Freeland and sister Callie M. Colman. Dale leaves to celebrate his life, his children, Gloria J Parker-Martin (George), Leonard Parker, Sandra Parker-Spears, Dale Linder (Halima Odette), Darrell Freeland, Darnella Freeland, Tascha Dunnaway, sister Isabel Strickland-Manning and sister in law Ramona Wilburn.

Visitation is from 10:00 am until 11:00 am on Monday, August 24, 2020 at the New Jerusalem Baptist Church, 26 W North Bend Road, Cincinnati  (45216).   The funeral service will immediately follow the visitation beginning at 11:00 am.

Interment will follow at Spring Grove Cemetery, 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, 45232.

To share a memory of Dale or leave a special message for the Freeland family, please click the "Tribute Wall" tab above and to the right, enter the information, and click "Save Post."

Walker Funeral Home, 2625 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati (45206)  is honored to serve the  Freeland family.  Please call (513) 251-6200 or visit www.WalkerFuneralHome.com for additional information.