Extracted from The McComb Enterprise-Journal (McComb, MS)
Monday, June 26, 2006

Irene Edith Freeman

Irene Edith Freeman, 93, a lifelong resident of the Busy Corner community in Amite County, died June 25, 2006, at her residence in the presence and comfort of her close family.

Visitation is 5 to 9 tonight and 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Brown Funeral Home in Gloster.

Services are 2 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in the Busy Corner community, with the Rev. Stacy McCollum and the Rev. Joe Jackson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Freeman was born March 21, 1913, in Amite County. She was the daughter of Robert Lee Wilkinson and Mary Sterling Wilkinson.

Mrs. Freeman was a homemaker and a devoted Christian, wife, mother, great-grandmother, sister and kind and gentle friend to many.

Her family said she enjoyed serving others and sharing her talents, such as quilting. She made more than 100 quilts for family and friends including nearly every pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, where she was a member. She served faithfully there for more than 80 years.

In her lifetime, Mrs. Freeman read through the Bible numerous times, and she received a certificate for perfect Sunday school attendance for 14 years.

Mrs. Freeman was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 53 years, Otto Freeman; a son, Vardaman Freeman; five sisters and four brothers.

Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Elemese and Edward Blalock of Brandon and Minnette and Hiram Whittington of Gloster; one son and daughter-in-law, Rance and Dolly Freeman of McComb; one sister, Addie Kirkland of Gloster; one brother and sister-in-law, W.J. and Elaine Wilkinson of Gloster; four grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Ted Whittington, Jeremy Freeman, Dale Blalock, Lewis Blalock, Shad Herron, Blake Blalock, Brent Blalock, Brian Blalock, Tony Day and Nathan Day.

Honorary pallbearers will be Wesley Causey, Paul Temple, David Jackson, Dwayne Steele, Hilton Hollingsworth, Dale Sterling, Dale Williams and John Aubrey Sterling.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Mount Pleasant Cemetery Fund or to Hospice Ministries Inc. 106 Jefferson Davis Blvd., Natchez, MS 39120.