Oct 13, 2026 · 34 min · 8 segments
Dr. Ed Finch was a giant in the Freeport community. A lifelong educator, both in formal and informal settings, Dr. Finch had a mind and passion for history. From his days at Freeport High School to…
The, the thing that always, uh, struck me about Ed was that he was not, uh, a native of Freeport.
Not only the Lincoln Douglas debates, which he was, uh, very much a significant part of, uh, helping commemorate, but also just, uh, int- interesting information about Freeport that, uh, he uncovered and shared with people.
It was like he was born here and was a native, because he just loved this community, and he, uh...
That was very obvious in all of the things that he did to help promote it and to help inform people about our past and our history.
And I, I think that stands out more than anything for me that, uh, a, a non-native becoming a native [laughs] in my mind.
Well, I think of Ed, um, first of all as a dear friend who could always make me chuckle, but as a renaissance man.
He was librarian at Freeport High School, and he was so excited about the WPA paintings.
And I'll never forget, he told me, uh, when I was starting teaching, he said, "Becky, pick..." English classes.
"Pick the books that you like best and teach those, 'cause it'll come through to your students.
What you like best, they're gonna like, too." And I just thought that was such good advice, and I've used it in so many parts of my life.
He was the director of the Stephenson County Historical Society, uh, involved in Lincoln Douglas.
Um, as we talked about at his, uh, funeral and the dinner afterwards, all the people's lives that he touched and made better, because he was creative and a good friend.
The, the thing that always, uh, struck me about Ed was that he was not, uh, a native of Freeport.
Not only the Lincoln Douglas debates, which he was, uh, very much a significant part of, uh, helping commemorate, but also just, uh, int- interesting information about Freeport that, uh, he uncovered and shared with people.
It was like he was born here and was a native, because he just loved this community, and he, uh...
That was very obvious in all of the things that he did to help promote it and to help inform people about our past and our history.
And I, I think that stands out more than anything for me that, uh, a, a non-native becoming a native [laughs] in my mind.
Well, I think of Ed, um, first of all as a dear friend who could always make me chuckle, but as a renaissance man.
He was librarian at Freeport High School, and he was so excited about the WPA paintings.
And I'll never forget, he told me, uh, when I was starting teaching, he said, "Becky, pick..." English classes.
"Pick the books that you like best and teach those, 'cause it'll come through to your students.
What you like best, they're gonna like, too." And I just thought that was such good advice, and I've used it in so many parts of my life.
He was the director of the Stephenson County Historical Society, uh, involved in Lincoln Douglas.
Um, as we talked about at his, uh, funeral and the dinner afterwards, all the people's lives that he touched and made better, because he was creative and a good friend.
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