Darin L. “Animal” Freeborough, 52, of Warren, PA., died accidently on Monday evening, November 28, 2016 at Webbs Ferry Boat Launch on the Allegheny Reservoir. He was born July 6, 1964 in Warren, PA. Darin was the son of the late Paul E. and Catherine B. Salapek Freeborough. He was a lifelong Warren area resident and a 1982 graduate of Warren Area High School.
Darin was employed for 30 years with Blair Corporation as a systems analyst. He owned and operated for the past 3 years, Animalistic Outdoors, a sporting goods store. He was an avid trapper, hunter, fisherman, outdoorsman, teacher and guide. He coached basketball and softball and any sport which his girls might have been involved in. He enjoyed history and lately became a politics buff. He was a member of the National Trappers Association, where he is distinguished as the Best Trapper East of the Mississippi. He was a big time Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers fan. Darin was all about family, was an excellent father who survived living with four women. He was a big personality with a heart of gold and was always the first in line, ahead of women and children, whenever there was food. His is remembered for his great sense of humor, when he laughed his whole body shook.
He is survived by his 3 daughters whom he lived for, Lindsay N. Freeborough, Molly R. Freeborough, Kaitlyn J. Freeborough, former wife, Julie Rossman Freeborough, his love, Marla J. McMeans, her children – Ashlyn, Devin and Derek McMeans, all of Warren, PA., his 4 siblings – David Freeborough and wife, Rose of Youngsville, PA., Daniel Freeborough, Debra Wagner and husband, Ronald, Dana Freeborough and wife, Patti all of Warren, PA., several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins also survive.
Friends may call at the Donald E. Lewis Funeral Home, Inc., 304 East Street, Warren, PA., on Friday, December 2, 2016 from 12 Noon until 3:00 P.M. and 6 to 8 P.M. where a vigil service will be conducted at 11:30 A.M.
The family requests that people dress in Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers or Camo attire, for the visitation hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 10:00 A.M., at Holy Redeemer R.C. Church, 11 Russell Street, Warren, PA., with Fr. James Gutting, Pastor, officiating.
Interment will be in St. Joseph R.C. Cemetery. Those wishing to place memorials may do so through Hunt of a Lifetime, 6297 Buffalo Road, Harborcreek, PA. 16421. E-mail condolences may be sent by visiting www.lewisfuneralhomeinc.com
My prayers go out for Darin and his family, Darin was a fantastic person and will be missed by all
My prayers to the family
Darin was my friend and I’m gonna miss him
I am so sorry for your loss. Darin was the sweetest person. I will always remember the fun we had when we used to hang out when I was married to Ron Trawick. He always had a smile on his face and treated everyone with respect. God bless you all. My sympathy for your family
Monica Fair Prowitt (Trawick)
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Mike & Cindy
God bless the Freeborough Family on the loss of such a great man. The world and outdoor community lost a legend.
I am honored to have had the opportunity to get to know and call Darin my friend. Our deepest thoughts and prayers go to his family, may God bless you all.
So sorry for your loss! Darin was a wonderful person and enjoyed his girls and family! Charlene “Skaggs” Brendlinger
Sorry to hear. You have my prayers. We enjoyed Darin at the Ohio State Trappers convention. Great guy to work with. He will be missed by many.
Mark Hanger
Truly a great guy in every respect, He has been a real asset to our sport show. He loved what he did but most of all he loved the lord. May God bring peace to his family.
Thoughts and prayers go out to all of you.
I send prayers, I will miss you brother you taught me more than you will ever know.
I am proud to say Darin was one of my students at Warren HS and I also was able to umpire a few of the Softball games that he coached. He was always top shelf to work for as an umpire. He always had a smile on his face! He will be sadly missed by ALL of us and my heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends!
The world has lost one of its best. The trappers have lost an icon. Darin was always willing to help anyone when it came to trapping. He gave me ideas on our fur fair we put on at the fire department. He always set up as a vendor and you could always tell where he was just by the crowd around him. Myself and the Lafayette Twp. Fire/ Rescue Dept will miss you. RIP my friend.
Our hearts and prayers to all who were fortunate to know this man. Years ago when I entertained at weddings and social events Animal was the “Master of the dance floor” who had no idea that in fact was entertaining me. I also recall his powerful throwing arm from Left field to Home during a game that I was catching and of course we got the out. Let’s Go Bucs.
So sorry for your loss my heart goes out to Darin’s family Darin was an awesome guy enjoyed talking with him at nysta convention just really down to earth guy will be sadly missed God bless rest in peace and may your traps always be full
Thoughts and Prayers for his beautiful family. He will forever be missed and fondly thought of. God Bless him and his Family.
Rest in peace my friend. You will be missed greatly.
Rest in peace, Darin. Will miss you on the softball fields.
Darin it was great to have known you, you had a great impact on all of those you came in contact with. you will be greatly missed. Rest in Peace my friend.
Darin was great to be able to know you. Lots of good times at the conventions.. rest easy my friend
Darin – Thoughts and Prayers to your family that I am sorry to say I did not have the pleasure of meeting. You will always be in my thoughts as trapping season comes along and greatly missed as my son and I walk the many conventions to see your smile, and get our hands crushed my the grip of your handshake. We both loved to hear you speak at different seminars. I will miss the chance to talk to you at the store more than I want to admit right now, and miss the advice given over the phone, thankfully I have your videos to make connection with you. You managed to always remind even an ole’ school trapper like me that their was always another way to wrap steel on the front paw. To you my friend – “May The Winds Always Be On Your Face, And The Sun On Your Back – Until We Meet Again My Brother, Rest In Peace.”
Our prayers are with you in this time of loss. We were blessed to have enjoyed being friends in our life journey. I was privileged to work with Darin and experience his larger than life humor and presence. May he dance in heaven with the same joy and passion he had on earth.
Sincerely,
Norm and Cindy Dziendziel
My condolences to the whole family.
My condolences to family and freinds
We are both very sorry. Your whole family is in our thoughts and prayers.
I am lucky to have shared some great times hunting and fishing with Darin. Those are among my most favorite stories to tell. Darin’s thunderous laughter and contagious enthusiasm are things that I will remember about him always.
To the entire family – please know that many people are thinking of you during this difficult time.
we are blessed to know Darin we will miss him so much as he was like a son, his laughter and his big bear hugs no matter where we were, we know your hearts are broken as ours is to . GOD BLESS
David, Dan, Debra and Dana and families-My deepest sympathy on the loss of Darin. Although I did not get to know my cousin very well since I was in college when he was born, my Mom would keep me informed about him and all of you. A life lost to early. My prayers are with all of you during this difficult time.
God Bless. You Darin You are were a Great friend!!!!!!! we send our thoughts and prayers to all his family stay strong together. remember. All the great times. With all our heartfelt sympathy, from the Schumann’s Mark, Page, Jessica and. Bethany
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Darin. He brought laughter and joy to so many. Be proud that he touched so many lives In so many ways. I worked with him at Blair and his humor could get me through any situation. He will be greatly missed.
My prayers to the family And my thoughts are with you all , including the Animalistics family . My husband and I got to know Darin when he opened amimalistics . It seems like we knew him our whole lives . He was so kind and generous and had a laugh that would be heard from next door . If we’d forget something once we got to our fishing spot and it was closing time , we’d call and he’d say Come on back , I’ll wait . He never turned us away . Nor did Meagan or Shane . Everyone there was a family and you could see that and we were treated like family as well. May you always shine bright Darin . I know your the biggest star in the sky now , the biggest Rainbow , the biggest Sunset or Sunrise . Everything big will be you now. As big as your heart was they’ll be no mistaking that . . Never ever forget you big guy . Rest In Peace .
My thoughts and prayers go to the freeborough family. Darin, I will always miss your smiling eyes, booming laughter, and that handshake, man what a grip! I am lucky to have called you my friend. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and helping trappers everywhere.
My deepest sympathy to my cousins, Darin’s brothers, sister, and daughters. He symbolized to me the hunting and fishing interests of so many of the Freeboroughs, and I laugh when I remember the tale his mother told of the Youngsville P.O. incident. God bless you all.
Just learned of Darin’s passing to be with the Lord this evening. I extend my sympathy to the Freeborough family. I never had the opportunity to meet Darin or any of his family in person, but I felt like I knew him through his trapping videos. As a father of two girls and a son, all raised in the hunting and trapping heritage, I was especially impressed when Darin added the video segment of Lindsay and her deer to his trapping video. I could tell this was a man who loved his kids. I am very sorry to hear Darin’s passing, and the family has my heartfelt sympathy and prayers. For those who have accepted Christ as savior and been born again into His Kingdom, absence from the body is presence with the Lord.