Obituaries

Ms. Falk came to Annapolis in 1974 and taught fifth grade for several years at Georgetown East Elementary School. She became a real estate agent in the late 1970s, then worked as a mortgage loan officer for several Annapolis banks.

In 1994, she joined Severn Savings Bank, where she was a senior mortgage loan officer until her death. She had a second home in Lewes, Del.

Ms. Falk was born in Los Angeles and grew up around many television and movie stars. Her father, Army Archerd, is a well-known writer about Hollywood celebrities and was a longtime columnist for Daily Variety. Her mother was an opera singer.

Ms. Falk graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and received an elementary school teaching certificate from the university in 1971.

She spoke French and Italian and sang with the Annapolis Chorale. She traveled widely and competed in 18 marathons and 26 triathlons. She ran in many races to benefit the Leukemia Foundation in honor of her former husband.

Her marriage to John H. Falk ended in divorce.

Survivors include her longtime partner, Dennis Williams of Annapolis; three children from her marriage, Joshua E. Falk, Daniel E. Falk and Lara D. Wilson, all of Annapolis; her father and stepmother, Selma Archerd, of Los Angeles; and a brother.

-- Matt Schudel

Richard H. FreemanTrade Magazine Publisher

Richard H. Freeman, 79, a retired publisher of trade magazines and former District resident, died June 24 of complications of lung cancer at Hospice of Visiting Nurse Service in Copley, Ohio. He had been a resident of Akron, Ohio, since 1998.

Mr. Freeman was born in Milwaukee and grew up in River Falls, Wis. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1950 and served in the Air Force during the Korean War.

He worked briefly in Minneapolis for the Pillsbury Co. and then joined the Meredith Corp., publisher of Better Homes and Gardens, in Des Moines. He also held a number of publishing and marketing positions in Chicago, Detroit and New York before moving to the District in 1976.

In Washington, he managed publications for the American Institute of Architects, the National Association of Hot Dip Galvanizers, the National Solid Waste Management Association and the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents. He retired in 1995.

He won numerous news writing, publishing, design and marketing awards from American Business Press Inc., the American Society of Association Executives and the Business and Professional Advertising Association, among others.

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Eleanor Harris Freeman of Akron; four daughters, Christine A. Freeman of Montgomery, Ala., Sarah J. Freeman of Whitefish Bay, Wis., Margaret E. Freeman-Karcewski of Middletown and Laura E. Freeman-Clark of Tallmadge, Ohio; a stepsister; and seven grandchildren.

-- Joe Holley