Obituaries for Fri., Oct. 7, 2011

Published 12:00 am Friday, October 7, 2011

ANTHONY FREENEY

Anthony Freeney, 62, of River Falls, passed away on Aug. 16, 2011.

Services were held on Aug. 20 at First Bethlehem Baptist Church with internment at Ole Bethlehem Cemetery in Red Level.

Anthony, the eldest of four children, was born on Nov. 6, 1948, in Birmingham, to the late Warren H. Stewart Sr. and Olean Freeney Stewart Bean. His grandparents were Clara Stewart and Matthew Washington Stewart of Marion, and Anna Bradley Freeney and Ebbie Freeney of Covington County. He was a descendant of early Covington County residents Sharper Bradley and London Freeney.

In 1958, he moved with his family to Red Level and joined First Bethlehem Baptist Church where he was a faithful member. He graduated from Carter G. Woodson High School in Andalusia, Class of 1967. Upon graduation, he volunteered for the U.S. Army at the height of the Vietnam War and served a tour in Germany. Returning home, he dated and married Mattie L. Jones on Jan. 8, 1972. To this union, two sons were born, Shannon Freeney and Kevin Freeney.

On March 24, 1978, he married the former Ruth Hudson Griffin, and soon thereafter, joined First Baptist Church of Red Level, where he served faithfully until his death. He was a high school athlete and adult sportsman. He loved and played baseball, basketball and football. He was an outdoorsman and loved working with his hands. He became a licensed electrician and earned his living variously as a telephone repairman, a roofer and pipeline worker. After years of hard outside work, he began working as a custodian at Andalusia Middle School, where he worked until becoming disabled.

He leaves to cherish his memory a wife, Ruth Hudson Freeney; two sons, Shannon Freeney and Kevin (Karen) Freeney; two step-children, Melonie Hudson and Michael (Molly) Griffin; eight grandchildren; his mother, Olean Freeney Stewart Bean; one brother, Warren H. (Gayle) Stewart Jr. of San Antonio, Texas; two sisters: Peggy Stewart (Fredrick) Berry of McKinney, Texas, and Wanda D. (Andre’) Knox of Arlington, Texas; one aunt, Mae Osia Cobb of Los Angeles, Calif.; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

BROTHER ERNIE ADAMS

Brother Ernie Adams, 79 of Andalusia, passed away Sun., Oct. 2, 2011, at Flowers Hospital in Dothan.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m., Sat., Oct. 8, at Sanford Assembly of God Church with Sister White officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a favorite charity.

Born in Verner, W. Va., he was a son of the late Ernest and Cora Johnston Adams. He worked as a residential landscaper for Stewart Sod Company for a number years prior to his retirement. He was a member of the Sanford Assembly of God Church.

He is survived by his children, Carrie Pelfrey, Rosie Saxton, Zella Ball, Gloria White, Bennie Robinson, Karen Fink, Ernie Adams, JR, Michelle Henderson and Craig Collins; a brother, Eugene Adams; five sisters, Josephine Riffe, Juineta Barnett, Marie Miller, Ramona Miller and Nilene Thacker; and a blessed multitude of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Southern Heritage Funeral Home, Dothan, AL is in charge of the arrangements.