Mrs. Thelma Watts Freeman

Thelma Freeman passed away March 28, 2012 at home after a lengthy illness. Thelma was born June 22, 1922 in Dallas County, Alabama, to the union of Louis Watts and Susan Askew Watts. She was the oldest daughter in a family of seven boys and five girls. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Freeman, Jr.; her father and mother, Susan and Louis Watts; two sisters, Willie Watts Hampton (Floyd) and Dellaner Watts Glover; and brothers: Coleman Watts, Frank Watts, Herman Watts, Louis Robert Watts, Roosevelt Watts, William Watts, and her daughter-in-law, Georgia Doles-Walker. Thelma spent most of her adult life as a resident of Selma, Alabama. She married John Freeman and had a long life with him until his death in 1976. After their marriage, Thelma worked for several decades as a restaurant cook. In 1989, she retired and closed her home in Selma, Alabama and moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan to live with her son, Dr. Lewis Walker, and daughter-in-law, Georgia Doles-Walker. Initially, she spent part of each year in Kalamazoo and the other part in Anguilla, Mississippi in order to help take care of her elderly mother, who was 96-years-old when she passed away in 1994. She is lovingly known as Mama-T (Thelma) by many of her close friends and family members. Thelma was a kind and gentle lady with a quiet nature. Her dedication was to her family and those who needed her the most. She delighted in making continuous contributions to her nieces and nephews as well as friends in her neighborhood, especially in Selma. She loved to cook and read books and was devoted to reading her Bible on a daily basis until the last few days of her life. She leaves to cherish her memory her son, Dr. Lewis Walker (Kalamazoo, Michigan); a great granddaughter, Tracy Williams, and a great great granddaughter Cashe Williams (both of Birmingham, Alabama); two sisters: Betty Mae Evans and Corine Lovett (both of Anguilla, Mississippi); one brother, Jimmy Watts (Elsie) (Birmingham, Alabama), several half brothers and half sisters in Birmingham, Alabama and Fort Wayne, Indiana; a special son, Jimmy Starks (Fort Wayne, Indiana), and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, NOTE: *****A repast for family and friends will take place at 2:00 PM at the Christian Life Center, 1225 West Patterson.***** *******IN LIEU OF FLOWERS: the family wishes that you make a donation to: HOSPICE CARE OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN, 222 N. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 100-Kalamazoo, MI 49007

Mrs. Thelma Watts Freeman

June 22, 1922 - March 28, 2012