OBITUARY
Howard Louis Freitag, age 98, passed away on January 15, 2026 in Decatur, TX.
Howard had an amazing life. At the age of 15 he joined the Merchant Marines. He went to the Philippines on a ship and fought in the Second World War.
After the war, he worked in the oil fields of West Texas until he moved to Anderson, CA with his wife and children. There he worked at US Plywood. By the time he retired at 55 as the Director of Maintenance, he had many other business endeavors. Such as building homes, apartments and a storage facility which he owned and leased.
During this time, he visited the creeks up in the Shasta Mountains and panned for gold. He was very successful in the stock markets, real estate investments and pretty much anything else he put his hands on.
Howard was an avid hunter, fisher and outdoorsman. He loved teaching everything he learned to anyone willing to learn and listen especially the youngsters. Howard loved hearing the successful hunting stories and congratulating whoever it was. Usually followed by a few of his many stories of his time spent in the mountains or woods, which many will agree was the best part of the hunt.
Howard was very involved in his family by always taking family vacations, coaching baseball and being the arena director for the horse shows. Eventually, he and his wife Geneva moved to their family ranch located in Barnhart, TX in 1983. They spent their later years raising goats and cows on their ranch. During this time he was very involved in raising and fighting chickens. He was well respected with his fighting chickens including having an event named after him.
Howard is survived by his children Jack Freitag, Marilyn Duncan and husband Michael Duncan and Jeanie Roumell. Grandchildren Matthew and wife Ha, Bobby Duncan and wife Jayme, Mark Duncan, Bryant Freitag and wife Angi, Casey Roumell and wife Michelle and Anthony Roumell. He was preceded in death by his wife Geneva Freitag of 68 years of marriage, son-in-law Larry Roumell and daughter-in-law Laura Freitag, brother Carl “Pinkie” Freitag, sister Leona Louise Duncan, sister Donna Faye Laster, mother Lena Mae Childress and father Louis Freitag.
There will be a memorial service at Shaffer Funeral Home, 1939 Sherwood Way in San Angelo on January 31, 2026 at 11 a.m.
Following the funeral, he will be buried at the family cemetery located at his ranch in Barnhart, TX.
— From Shaffer Funeral Home
