Catherine "Cas" Freeman

Catherine ‘Cas’ Main Freeman died peacefully on September 23, 2018 surrounded by people who loved her and who she loved to the moon, back, and beyond.

Cas was born on August 30,1953 in Pincher Creek, Alberta, the only daughter to Bill and Janet (McDowall) Main. A bunch of brothers followed. The boys learned to listen to their sister or experience the consequences.  She grew up on the MX Ranch in southern Alberta in the shadow of Drywood Mountain.  She spent her life outside, ranching, farming, hiking, and skiing.

She left the ranch after high school to pursue an education in math and science at the University of Alberta.  However, math and science came too easily to Cas so in her  third  year she elected to challenge herself and switched her major to English. She studied and wrote poetry and learned to appreciate language and fine art. After graduating from the university of Alberta, Cas went to the Banff School of Fine Arts to become a weaver and book binder.  She also worked for Canadian Mountain Helicopters which gave her incredible access to the mountains she loved and honed her skills as an experimental cook. She eventually returned to Pincher Creek to ranch with her parents, and taught most of the boys in southern Alberta to dance as that was one of her passions.  She made her friends and cousins hike into places they never thought were accessible - places and hikes that they never forgot and speak of to this day. She always found the path up and forward no matter the challenge or circumstance or the time.  When I think of hiking home in the dark, I think of Cas.

Cas met James Freeman in southern Alberta and they married in 1983. She returned to the University of Alberta to complete her Masters in Economics, with a focus on the economics of ranching. They lived in a variety of places including Denver, Washington DC, Bozeman, Edmonton, and Calgary but Cas was always keen to return to southern Alberta.  The family finally relocated in 1995 to start the Pica Springs Ranch.  There Cas and Jamie raised their three ‘chicks’, Kyra, Emma and Sarah together with cows, horses, and a variety of other critters. When asked, Cas  was always clear that by returning to ranch in southern Alberta she was truly ”living her dream”.  

Cas took great pride and joy in raising her girls  and instilled in them her love of life, family, laughter,  nature, and being in the world. Her goal was to raise spirited, generous, independent children, and she did.

Cas loved hard and laughed easily. Even as her body declined due to Huntington’s Disease and communication became more difficult, she made sure those around her always knew they were loved. 

Her family thank Bev Everts, Team Cas, the wonderful staff at Vista Village, and the greater community who allowed Cas to live her life with dignity in difficult circumstances and kept her laughing.  Thank you for your attentiveness to her care and for loving her like family.  Thank you to Dr. Scrimshaw, Linda Pura, and Dr. Burton for the outstanding care you gave to Cas and the compassion you consistently showed our family.

She is survived by her three daughters, Kyra (Mike Coons), Emma, and Sarah, her mother Janet Main, her brothers Doug (Anne Gover), Mac (Wendy), and Ian (Caroline Lee), and many other family members and friends.  She was a friend to many, inclusive and generous to all, and will be dearly missed by those who knew her. 

An open house will be held at Janet Main’s home from 1-5pm on Saturday, September 29th, 30229 Township Road 5-2A.  A celebration of life and a dance in her honor will be held at a later date. 

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