Courtesy photo
Stephen R. Freese
February 14, 2022
Stephen Freese, Portland Pie co-founder, dies at 52
By Staff
Stephen R. Freese, who co-founded Portland Pie Co. and helped grow it into a craft pizza company with hundreds of employees and eight locations in Maine, died Feb. 2 at age 52.
Freese, born April 22, 1969, grew up in Scarborough, attended Scarborough High School, and worked at Ken’s Seafood in Pine Point and also at his parents’ convenience store. In 1991, he graduated from Thomas College in Waterville with a degree in business management.
In 1997, with college friends Nat Getchell and Phil Pelletier, Freese launched Portland Pie as a takeout and delivery shop, initially occupying an 800-square-foot storefront on Portland’s India Street. Shipyard Brewing Co. founder and CEO Fred Forsley provided guidance in the launch, an obituary for Freese said.
Freese and his partners eventually expanded their business to include a dough-making division, It’ll Be Pizza, in Scarborough. A June 2016 Mainebiz article noted that the company had a workforce of 300 and annual revenues of about $20 million from retail and wholesale operations. The retail business was eventually sold, while Freese and Getchell continued to oversee It’ll Be Pizza, which supplies customers such as Hannaford Supermarkets.
Portland Pie is now headquartered in South Portland, but continues to serve up pizza in Portland and in seven other Maine locations as far north as Bangor.
The obituary described Freese as a devoted father, an animal lover and an avid traveler, who enjoyed visits to national parks, Ireland, the Caribbean and other destinations.
Freese was predeceased by his mother, Peg (Turner) Freese, and is survived by his wife, Nora, son Colton and daughter Lilah; his father, Wesley Freese; his brothers, Wesley Freese Jr. and Richard Freese, and their families; and many other family members and friends.
No services will be held at this time, but a celebration of life will be held for Freese at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Animal Refuge League, 217 Landing Road, Westbrook, ME 04092, and to the Center for Grieving Children, 555 Forest Ave., Portland, ME 04101.
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