Rita Lou Freeman

Rita Lou Bartley Freeman, died Sunday, December 30, 2007, at her residence. Mrs. Freeman was born on March 25, 1923, in Erwin, TN. In 1945 she married Albert Freeman. Both worked for the railroad in Erwin and moved with CSX to Jacksonville, FL. After the deaths of her husband and mother in 2005, she moved to Johnson City with her sister. Mrs. Freeman was an accomplished musician. She gave violin and piano concerts when young, sang in choirs and played the organ for the First Christian Church in Erwin and Englewood Christian Church in Jacksonville. She was a member of First Christian Church in Johnson City and also a member of the Mr. And Mrs. Sunday School Class. She was a loving and devoted wife, daughter and sister, caring for her husband and her mother, who died at age 105, until their deaths and continuing to care for her sister. Mrs. Freeman was preceded in death by her parents Alvin L. Bartley and Kathryn D. Bartley and her husband, Albert H. Freeman. Survivors include her sister, Dalles Andria Bartley; cousins, Ellen Deakins Hastie, Paul Deakins, Virginia 'Nell'? Bellamy, Betty Neeley, Lynn Deakins, Ernestine Renfro, Keith Hastie, and Hilary Hanley. She also leaves many caring friends including Brenda and Jerry Sparks, Emerald and Henry Webb and Faye Hensley all of Johnson City and Judy and Dick Moss of Erwin and Polly and Herman May, Dorothy and Charles Lilly and Lena Scott of Jacksonville and her church family. A memorial service for Mrs. Freeman will be held at 2 PM Friday, January 4, 2008 from the Morris-Baker Funeral Home North Chapel. Dr. Henry Webb will officiate. Committal services will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 1-2 PM Friday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Dawn of Hope, Inc., 500 East Oakland Ave., Johnson City, TN 37601.