Sheila and I drove to Woodstock today to attend the memorial service for our friend and former pastor George Freeman. I think George would have loved the service.
He had asked for "Camp Meeting" songs. Warren Lathem, who is married to my first cousin Jane, sang "In the Sweet By and By" beautifully. The congregation sang "Oh, How I Love Jesus" (a great one for adding harmony) and "Oh That Will Be Glory For Me" (When have I last heard that beautiful song? It's been a while.)
George and Peggy's beautiful daughter Betsy, flanked by Trey ("for moral support," she said) gave a lovely eulogy of her father built around a bunch of "Georgisms" as she called them. She briefed recited her father's frequent saying and explained each, then closed by stringing them together as a very appropriate summary.
The sermon was delivered by David Campbell, also our friend and former pastor, who has known George for 40 years.
Afterward the family invited everyone to the church fellowship hall where a luncheon was laid out and where the long line of George's friends could speak with Peggy, Betsy, Trey and many other family members.
We were disappointed that Warren and Jane had to leave right after the service and we didn't get to talk with them. But we did get to talk briefly with George's family and with David Campbell, and to meet and talk with several new acquaintances including John Durham who is a pastor in Lindale and Winnie and Will Thomas who are both United Methodist pastors who knew George at Jonesboro UMC.
I'm glad that George had time during his battle with cancer to do at least some planning for his memorial. I think he would be very pleased with how it turned out. I hope it doesn't sound inappropriate to say that, though I am very sad to lose this good man, I enjoyed the occasion.
George came to Trinity United Methodist Church in 1995 when I was going through some tough times. I was working insane hours while losing my battle to succeed in our little business. We decided during the nineties to use our skills at desktop publishing to support the church to partially makeup for our decreased financial support. So we dealt with George every week to prepare the "Trinity Voice" our church newsletter. That and the fact that George and I were near the same age, and that I had admired his father since the 1950s and 60s when Ross Freeman had led revival meeting for my dad, made for one of the warmest relationships I have had with my pastor.
Betsy, in her tribute to George, reiterated the request at the close of Georgia's obituary, and I am still thinking of how I will honor that. If you are one of George's friends and admirers, I hope you will also pass his love forwards in this manner:
"In lieu of flowers or a monetary gift, we ask that you honor George’s spirit by committing a simple act of goodness or kindness towards others."
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The program for the funeral was just beautiful.
Here's a beautiful a cappella version of "Oh That Will Be Glory For Me"
How about a Willie Nelson version of "In the Sweet By and By"
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Obituary
The Reverend Dr. George Ross Freeman, Jr. beloved husband, father, grandfather, and lifelong servant of Christ, entered into eternal rest after a courageous battle with cancer on Monday, October 27, 2025 at home with his family.
A native of Sandersville, Georgia, and the son of a Methodist minister, George grew up in parsonages across North Georgia and in Atlanta’s Druid Hills community. A graduate of Georgia Southern University and Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, he also pursued doctoral studies in New Church Development and Stewardship. George served in the US Air Force during the Vietnam war.
George served the United Methodist Church faithfully for more than 50 years, including appointments in Auburn, East Point, Norcross, Dallas, Marietta, Rome, Atlanta, Thomson, Sandy Springs, Jonesboro, Ellenwood and Woodstock. The founding pastor of Simpsonwood United Methodist Church in Norcross, George received national recognition for his efforts in establishing a vibrant congregation, across the road from the (former) North Georgia United Methodist Conference and Retreat Center on the Chattahoochee River. Simpsonwood was named "Church of the Year in Evangelism" and completed the construction project for the main Sanctuary building while he was Senior Pastor there.
His ministry extended far beyond the pulpit—through missions, leadership development, and community service.
Throughout his career, Dr. Freeman held numerous leadership roles, including service on the UMC General Board of Discipleship and as President of the National Association of Stewardship Leaders. He was also a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International and a Fellow of the John Wesley Society.
After retiring from full-time ministry in 2017, George continued serving smaller congregations until his health required him to step back. He and his wife, Peggy, made their home in Canton, GA, which is strategically placed halfway between where their children live. He delighted in time spent with their children and six grandchildren. They remained active in their “Golden Years” because he said he searched the Scriptures and could not find the word “Retirement”.
Known for his quick wit and happy demeanor, George’s life was defined by faith, service, and love for others. His legacy continues in the many churches he built, the pastors/people he mentored, and the lives he touched.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years Peggy-Ann; son George Ross Freeman, III “Trey” and his four children (Kate Elizabeth, Madison Ann, Samantha Grace and Jackson Lee) of Blue Ridge; daughter Betsy Ann and her husband Charlie Madrerohon and their two sons (Charles “Ross” and Ben Gregory) of Marietta. Also surviving him is his sister, Joye Hancock. Predeceased by his parents Rev. Dr. G. Ross Freeman, Sr and Elizabeth “Bess” Bennett Freeman and his sister Merrie Posey.
A celebration of life service for George will be held Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM at Hillside Church, 4474 Towne Lake Pkwy., Woodstock, GA 30189. George will be laid to rest in a family service at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia at a later date
In lieu of flowers or a monetary gift, we ask that you honor George’s spirit by committing a simple act of goodness or kindness towards others.
I hope many of my friends who vote Democratic will join us Thursday evening for this regular monthly meeting. I know of no special program except for the effort to collect food for the local food pantries. BUT it is our first chance to meet with others who share our goals after the significant wins of the election yesterday.
Y’all please bear with me for a fairly long post.
We need, in my opinion, to build NOW on the enthusiasm of our wins yesterday as we work toward even bigger victories in the 2026 midterms.
I work through our local, state, and national Democratic Party despite the fact that I have significant differences with many of my fellow Democrats. You will also differ with some folks in the group and maybe even get frustrated with folks who talk too much or who don’t speak up or who seek too much compromise or too much confrontation or too little of either or, or, or,…
That’s the nature of a political party in a two-party system and like tor not that’s what we have.
Here’s how I view our current party
Like all volunteer groups we depend overwhelmingly on folks who have jobs and/or family obligations or health issues and/or all the personal and occupational and other obligations of volunteers everywhere. We come from every race, religion, ethnic background, and many other differences. Some of us are willing to be up front and confrontational. Many of us prefer quieter action. Some of us have a lot of time to give and some much less.
We represent many different degrees of liberalism and conservatism as currently defined. Some of us are FDR Democrats, some are Carter Democrats, some are “New” Democrats, some are AOC/Bernie Democrats. Some of us even used to be Capital-R Republicans.
BUT we are all small-r republicans and small-d democrats. We agree on the basic principles of American democratic republicanism — the self-evident truths —as beautifully expressed by Jefferson in the Declaration.
We also agree with Morris on the purposes of government by We The People as expressed in the Preamble —
to always work to improve it (form a more perfect union),
to always be fair (establish justice),
to keep peace at home (insure domestic tranquility),
to keep peace with the world (provide for the common defense),
to try to make life better for all (promote the general welfare),
and to protect freedom for all now and always (secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity).
While we all will continue to press for our particular favored policies and programs, we in the current situation — under a wannabe authoritarian president who has some advisors who have expressly rejected democracy — are willing to work with everyone and anyone who seeks to restore small-r republican principles and goals.
I believe we are in a non-violent fight for our republic. And I believe there is a place in this effort for people of all personality types. There are jobs for extroverts AND introverts, out front and behind the scenes. As a 78 year old grandfather my activism is most often from right here in my easy chair with a computer in my lap. Or on the phone. Or attending meetings or rallies. Or making my meager donations. But I try to do my part.
Won’t you help too?
So, speaking for myself but believing my fellow Floyd County Democrats would agree, I welcome anyone who truly supports the principles of the Declaration and the Preamble to join us.
Top l-r: Elaina Beeman, Jill Fisher, Vic Hixon Bottom l-r: Toni Blanchard, Brenda Boyd, Pascha Burge, Will Byington, Faith Collins, Marquita Davis, Alvin Jackson
This was a wonderful night.
I had a really good feeling about it -- which always scares me. But wow! I suppose it was the first election of my life when the majority of the voters agreed with me on each and every vote. I cast votes for nine candidates and on three ballot issues and all 12 votes went my way!
Anyone who has read Facebook posts at all in the last few months knows the two PSC and two City Commission and five Board of Education candidates I campaigned for. I am so happy that they all won.
BUT I am also very happy with the candidates the other voters added to my list. Jill Fisher has proven herself a good public service on the Board of Education and will no doubt be an asset to the Commission. I hope the Commission will follow her advice and set up a system of making long-term planning a more regular part of the commission's procedures. Will Byington has served as a leader on our Board of Education for years and Brenda Boyd as a teacher knows education from the inside and can help the board continue to build strong faculties and keep the board anchored to its mission of producing healthy, happy, and successful students. I wish the best to the four losing candidates here in Rome. Jamie Doss served our city for decades on the commission and Randy Quick has been a stalwart of our community as a radio personality and executive as well as a commissioner. I thank them for their service and for putting themselves before to voters. Ron Roach had a long career as a teacher and coach and has been active in the community since his retirement. And Karl Gyden, a relative newcomer, is to be commended for seeking to serve us on the Board of Education. It was not just Rome and Georgia. Virginia elected Democratic candidates for Governor and two other statewide races and gave more than a dozen additional Democratic seats to the House of Delegates. In Pennsylvania three of their Supreme Court judges were challenged for retention by an organized and very well financed effort to kick them out. The kept their positions easily. And in California people were lined up around the block in city after city to vote to counter Trump's efforts to stack the 2026 Congressional race -- 11 million votes in a one-issue off-year election. There is a rekindling of a spirit of liberty from coast to coast tonight. But we can't rest on our laurels. 2026 is almost here. We must have a Congress that will stand up to the great child who literally demolished a whole wing of our White House with input from nobody.
I enjoyed being invited back to Vogel State Park to tell ghost stories at Possum Hollow (at the base of Blood Mountain) for a third year.
We always stop at Penland Apple House to buy a few Evercrisp apples to take with us.
Vogel is a beautiful state park that I visited with my MYF and with my family as a preteen and early teen when we lived in Ellijay. We enjoyed looking through the arts and crafts tents at the Fall Festival there.
The leaves are not in prime color yet, but still pretty.
We were early to arrive at "Possum Hollow" so we walked around for a while with the scores of Trick or Treaters going from ghoulishly decorated campsite to ghoulishly decorated campsite. Notice the "leg" sticking out of a door in the RV (upper left)?
This is the tiny stream that flows past our storytelling circle.
I opened the well-attended campfire ghost story session with a recital of "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll. Then Melanie Knauff (above), Denise Mount, and I alternated with spooky tales.
Afterward the three of us posed by the campfire for a commemorative photo.
Our friends Denise and Mike Mount had invited us to be house guests of theirs in Dahlonega so that we wouldn't have to drive back to Rome so late. We were happy to meet up with Troi again, here comfortable ensconced in her easy chair.
On Sunday morning we had "church" in the woodland behind Mike and Denise's beautiful rustic hillside home.
The rapidly expanding habitat of Joro spiders includes Dahlonega.
I asked about this wonderful offbeat birdhouse. I should have realized it was the creation of the father of our mutual friend and storyteller Melanie Knauff.
Sunday afternoon and Troi is once again making herself comfortable.
Denise and Mike are Trekkies and had this shirt hanging on a door. I had to record it to share with my Trekkie son-in-law.
Note: the tentative botanical labels below are by this VERY amateur botany hobbyist. I mostly used the "Picture This" app. I will appreciate corrections if there are mistaken IDs.
...the trees roots had found purchase through the soft layers of rock and clay in the soil. Some of the roots had grown very flat as they formed between the layers of rock.
