Earle S. "Jock" Freedman

Earle S. “Jock” Freedman, of Pikesville, Maryland, passed away on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the age of 96.

Born in Baltimore on February 18, 1930, Jock lived a life defined by devotion, intellect, and lasting contribution. Though he was deeply cherished by his family and community, he was also widely respected across Maryland for an extraordinary professional legacy. A graduate of Polytechnic Institute and Johns Hopkins University, he began his career in 1950 at just 20 years old and went on to become one of the most respected bridge engineers in the state and the nation. Over the course of more than six decades with the Maryland State Highway Administration, he helped design, maintain, and oversee more than 2,500 bridges, earning recognition as Maryland’s longest-serving state employee.

Jock was perhaps best known professionally for overseeing the design and construction of the Naval Academy Bridge spanning the Severn River in Annapolis, a project that reflected both his engineering excellence and his belief that bridges should serve not only a practical purpose, but also contribute beauty to the landscape around them. His work left a visible and lasting imprint on the state he loved. In recognition of that impact, Maryland honored him in 2004 by naming a bridge carrying Reisterstown Road over the Beltway in his honor. In 2016, he received the AASHTO Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award for outstanding contribution in engineering.

Beyond his remarkable career, Jock will be remembered most by those who knew and loved him as a devoted husband, loving father, proud grandfather, and adored great-grandfather. He is survived by his beloved wife, Gertrude “Trudy” Freedman (nee Bluefeld); loving children, Barbara (Craig) Neuman and Rosalyn (Joel) Chazen; cherished grandchildren, Michael (Zipporah) Neuman, Dr. Brian (Didi) Neuman, Adam (Daniella) Neuman, Danielle (Shalom) Zoor, and Douglas (Samantha) Chazen; and adored great-grandchildren, Nava Neuman, Azriel Neuman, Daphna Neuman, Shemaya Neuman, Zachary Neuman, Riley Neuman, and Mia Zoor. He was predeceased by his parents, Fannie and Norman Freedman.

Jock’s was a life of substance and quiet distinction, one marked by enduring love for his family, deep commitment to his work, and a legacy built not only in memory, but in the very bridges that carry generations forward.

Services will be held at Sol Levinson’s Chapel, 8900 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208, on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 12:00 pm. Interment will follow at Beth Tfiloh Cemetery. Please omit flowers. Contributions in his memory may be sent to Bais Yaakov School for Girls, 6300 Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209; Talmudical Academy, 4445 Old Court Rd, Baltimore, MD 21208; or Ohr Chadash Academy, 7310 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21208, or Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, 3300 Old Court Road, Pikesville, MD 21208.