Kevin Freeman
June 13, 1953—September 18, 1993

Kevin Freeman began working at Stanford University in 1987 as an entry-level music cataloger and previously worked at the U.C. Berkeley Music Library. He was active in MLA both on the local and national level, serving as Secretary-Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Chair of the Northern California Chapter, and was responsible for soliciting compositions from composers in this half of the state for a musical festschrift to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the California Chapter. Since 1991 Kevin had been a member of the Subject Access Subcommittee of Bibliographic Control Committee, chairing it in his final year, and was very involved with the local arrangements for the MLA 1993 annual meeting in San Francisco. As in everything he did, Kevin met his work and professional responsibilities with energy and enthusiasm and set high standards for himself. Those that worked with him valued and respected him as a colleague and, no matter what the task or circumstance, found him wonderful to work with.

A San Francisco native, Kevin graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah with a B.A. in Music in 1977. He earned an M.A. in French Linguistics from Georgetown University in 1985, and an M.A. in Library and Information Science from U.C. Berkeley in 1987. Kevin became well known in the San Francisco area as a singer in the Symphony Chorus and Choral Artists of San Francisco. In the early 1980s he was a member of the male vocal ensemble, Chanticleer.

Kevin was remembered at two memorial gatherings in 1993, one held at Stanford on 27 September, and another in San Francisco on 23 October. Many of his friends came to sing and play at the San Francisco gathering, making music that was glorious, coming straight from the soul. His friends each seem to have wonderful "Kevin stories" that resonate with an uncanny sameness. They reveal his love of life and the good things it has to offer—friends, good food, fun, and of course, music.

Kevin is survived by his life-partner Hank Dutt, his mother Irma Freeman, and other family in the San Francisco area. The Kevin Freeman Travel Grant is a memorial tribute to Kevin, conceived by his friends in the Northern California Chapter.

Based on an article written by Mimi Tashiro, MLA Newsletter no. 95