Obituary for Mr. Thomas Columbus “T.C.” Freeman
Courtesy of Shelley Stokes-Hammond
“Mr. Thomas Columbus Freeman was born in Jefferson County, Georgia, on April 3, 1910. He was the son of the late Robert “Bob” Freeman and Estella Stone Freeman.
‘Lives of great men oft remind us we can make our lives sublime and departed leave behind us footprints on the sand of time.’ Mr. Freeman was a great man in his contributions to the citizens of Wrens and surrounding counties. Professionally, he was owner and director of Freeman Funeral Home since 1937. He was motivated to the Funeral Service through his long association with the late Wilbur W. Stone, himself a noted mortician of Wrens.
In helping others, Mr. Freeman has rendered vault services to many funeral directors throughout the CSRA, thereby providing jobs for numerous young people in the community. He also owned Freeman Dry Cleaners, again, providing employment.
He worked with Jefferson County’s O.E.O. Program, Twin Lakes Park, School Transition Program, Wrens’ Zoning Commission; and was a member of the Jefferson County Department of Family and Children Services Board of Directors. He was the first black to serve on the Grand Jury in Jefferson County; the first black to serve on the Jefferson County Hospital Board; and the first black Co-Chairman of the Food Commodity Program before the issuance of food stamps in Jefferson County. Many young Funeral Directors have been taught the art of Funeral directing by watching the professionalism of Mr. Freeman.
He was named Mortician of the Year for the 6th GFSPA in 1976.
He was a member of the Sixth District of the Georgia Funeral Service Practitioners Association, and the National Funeral Directors and Morticians’ Association.
He was married into Holy Matrimony with the former Walton Brown of Milledgeville, GA. He was a former member of Wrens Chapel A.M.E. Church and later joined the Lofton A.M.E. Church in Wrens, GA.
He is survived by: his devoted wife, Walton Brown Freeman; a brother, Linton (Ruth) Freeman of Cleveland, Ohio; a sister, Wynona Jones of Cleveland, Ohio; two other sisters-in-law, Francina Duggan of Chicago, Illinois, and Mary Freeman of St. Albans, New York; one brother-in-law, Edward Brown of Wilmington, Delaware; an adopted son Shawn Stapleton of Thomson, GA; also a devoted cousin, Mrs. Bettye J. Stephens of Wrens, GA; and several devoted caretakers.”
Taken from the “Eulogistic Services for Mr. Thomas Columbus ‘T.C.’ Freeman,” dated Monday, December 9, 2002, at 1:00 P.M., at Wrens Chapel A.M.E. Church in Wrens, Georgia.” Rev. Dr. Lugenia Johnson, Pastor. Rev. Leroy Britt, Sr., Eulogist.
NOTES:
Wynona Freeman Jones*
Born October 1, 1906
Died May 20, 2004
Internment: Cleveland Memorial Gardens, Cleveland, Ohio
Linton Freeman*
Born May 25, 1918
Died September 18, 2006
Internment: Cleveland Memorial Gardens, Cleveland, Ohio
*Both were members of Lee Memorial A.M.E. Church at 861 E. 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio.
For information on this family please contact : Shelley Stokes-Hammond