Not sure how this got by me, but better late than never! I went to Japan with Dwayne Freeman and Mark Tercek in the Summer of ’79 joining “Senpai Sensei” Damian Rinaldi at the somewhat infamous Dai Ni Copo in Izumisano. In all honesty I can tell you Dwayne made myriad contributions to the FUN FACTOR of teaching English in Osaka, most important was finding and introducing us all to dance clubs DISCO MAGGIE and TOUCHDOWN where $20 bucks got you all the bar food and watered down whiskey you could handle, followed by a stumbling race to catch the last train home. With lessons learned in Japan, I made an exciting and rewarding living. With those same talents, Dwayne built a rich life, a loving family, and friends who will never forget him — RIP, Dwayne-Kun! (This was our favorite silly joke when he and I conversed in Japanese!)
I first met Dwayne (“D”) in the early 1980s after he relocated to Tokyo from Osaka where he was teaching. We both taught at Time-Life Educational Systems. We became close friends. Later he began working in the financial sector during the so-called Japan bubble economy. He had a heart of gold and we spent many days drinking and laughing. I lost contact with him for a few years then reconnected with him in 2010. Sadly, I lost contact with him again because I got a message from one of his colleagues but I thought was spam and I never responded. That was around 2015. That message was apparently regarding Dwayne’s declining health.
Rest In Peace, D. I wish I knew a way to contact his mother and son to express my condolences.
I am so sorry to hear of Dwayne’s passing. I lost contact with him a few years ago.
My heart felt condolences goes out to the family.??
I remember Dwayne as a sweet and supportive fellow English student who shared my interest in poetry and encouraged my writing. He laughed easily. It sounds like he lead an interesting, varied, international life. I was saddened to hear of his too-early death.
Dwayne and I spent a year together in Izumisano, Japan– his first overlapped with my third or fourth year there, but he easily surpassed my Japan total. We lost contact and I’m sorry to hear of his passing.
His name’s come up in a remembrance of our first Japanese boss, and of the time we all spent teaching English conversation together that’s shared by about 40 or so Williams alums. It looks like he kept making good memories and good friends. Can’t ask for more than that.
Dwayne B. Freeman, Class of 1979, died in Englewood, New Jersey on April 27, 2020
Dwayne was a native New Yorker who attended the Horace Mann School before coming to Williams, where he discovered the intense beauty of crew and nurtured his love of poetry. Upon graduating from Williams, Dwayne moved to Japan for much of his adult life, where he nurtured his family, taught English for many years, and expanded his teaching interest into editing and copywriting in the private sector. Dwayne attended and received a Master’s Degree from the Thunderbird School. Later in life when he returned to the United States, he taught as a professor of English at Eastwick College in Ramsey, New Jersey. Throughout his career, Dwayne was well regarded for his warmth and dedication to his students. In Dwayne’s final years, while experiencing serious health issues, he never permitted his personal adversity to affect his vibrant and engaging enjoyment of life and the people around him. Dwayne was an avid New York sports fan, especially of the Yankees, and sustained an active interest in current American politics. Until his final days, he engaged in critical conversation on either topic with all who approached. Dwayne is survived by his mother, Olive, and son, Takeshi.
*The obituary presented above was drafted by Tom Mierswa ’79, copied herein, with contributions by Bill Webster ’79, Clinton Loftman ’79, and Brent Shay ’78, who were his college suitemates in Mark Hopkins House.
Not sure how this got by me, but better late than never! I went to Japan with Dwayne Freeman and Mark Tercek in the Summer of ’79 joining “Senpai Sensei” Damian Rinaldi at the somewhat infamous Dai Ni Copo in Izumisano. In all honesty I can tell you Dwayne made myriad contributions to the FUN FACTOR of teaching English in Osaka, most important was finding and introducing us all to dance clubs DISCO MAGGIE and TOUCHDOWN where $20 bucks got you all the bar food and watered down whiskey you could handle, followed by a stumbling race to catch the last train home. With lessons learned in Japan, I made an exciting and rewarding living. With those same talents, Dwayne built a rich life, a loving family, and friends who will never forget him — RIP, Dwayne-Kun! (This was our favorite silly joke when he and I conversed in Japanese!)
I first met Dwayne (“D”) in the early 1980s after he relocated to Tokyo from Osaka where he was teaching. We both taught at Time-Life Educational Systems. We became close friends. Later he began working in the financial sector during the so-called Japan bubble economy. He had a heart of gold and we spent many days drinking and laughing. I lost contact with him for a few years then reconnected with him in 2010. Sadly, I lost contact with him again because I got a message from one of his colleagues but I thought was spam and I never responded. That was around 2015. That message was apparently regarding Dwayne’s declining health.
Rest In Peace, D. I wish I knew a way to contact his mother and son to express my condolences.
I am so sorry to hear of Dwayne’s passing. I lost contact with him a few years ago.
My heart felt condolences goes out to the family.??
I remember Dwayne as a sweet and supportive fellow English student who shared my interest in poetry and encouraged my writing. He laughed easily. It sounds like he lead an interesting, varied, international life. I was saddened to hear of his too-early death.
Dwayne and I spent a year together in Izumisano, Japan– his first overlapped with my third or fourth year there, but he easily surpassed my Japan total. We lost contact and I’m sorry to hear of his passing.
His name’s come up in a remembrance of our first Japanese boss, and of the time we all spent teaching English conversation together that’s shared by about 40 or so Williams alums. It looks like he kept making good memories and good friends. Can’t ask for more than that.
Dwayne B. Freeman, Class of 1979, died in Englewood, New Jersey on April 27, 2020
Dwayne was a native New Yorker who attended the Horace Mann School before coming to Williams, where he discovered the intense beauty of crew and nurtured his love of poetry. Upon graduating from Williams, Dwayne moved to Japan for much of his adult life, where he nurtured his family, taught English for many years, and expanded his teaching interest into editing and copywriting in the private sector. Dwayne attended and received a Master’s Degree from the Thunderbird School. Later in life when he returned to the United States, he taught as a professor of English at Eastwick College in Ramsey, New Jersey. Throughout his career, Dwayne was well regarded for his warmth and dedication to his students. In Dwayne’s final years, while experiencing serious health issues, he never permitted his personal adversity to affect his vibrant and engaging enjoyment of life and the people around him. Dwayne was an avid New York sports fan, especially of the Yankees, and sustained an active interest in current American politics. Until his final days, he engaged in critical conversation on either topic with all who approached. Dwayne is survived by his mother, Olive, and son, Takeshi.
*The obituary presented above was drafted by Tom Mierswa ’79, copied herein, with contributions by Bill Webster ’79, Clinton Loftman ’79, and Brent Shay ’78, who were his college suitemates in Mark Hopkins House.