Bernice Smith Freeman

Bernice Smith Freeman was born in Fayetteville, NC on August 19, 1919 to the late Clarence and Hattie Mae Smith and departed her life of 96 years on November 1, 2015 at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, NC. She relocated to New York City at the early age of 3 and completed her High School studies with the Department of Education of the City of New York in 1935 and continued her education in the field of Cosmetology.

After meeting the love of her life, Bernice returned to Fayetteville to marry the late Berkeley Freeman Sr. on October 2, 1939. Berkeley and Bernice shared a loving marriage of over 40 years until his death in 1980.

She truly loved Jehovah and dedicated her life to his organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1971. She sincerely believed in the power of prayer and she demonstrated that by awakening in prayer and going to sleep after prayer. Prayer was a big part of her daily routine. She instilled prayer into her children who were not allowed to get into bed without getting on their knees in prayer. She raised her children and her grandchildren to know that Jehovah had the answer for everything. She taught them that whatever their troubles were, that they could discuss them in prayer and would surely be heard.

Bernice was a unique, kind and fun loving person that loved to dance. She began her dance career at a young age, dancing with her grandma Harriett’s band and later touring in many surrounding cities of North Carolina. She continued to dance at home in her den till the age of 93 when her health failed.

To know her, was to love her, She made everyone she encountered feel welcomed. Although, she never intended to hurt or harm anyone, she was known to speak freely and without hesitation. She had her opinions and she didn’t mind sharing them. She loved her family more than she loved herself. She believed in family so much that she often cooked and planned gatherings to bring the family together. Nothing pleased her more than having her family around her and watching everyone eat and enjoy each other. She did not leave out her neighbors or friends either. No one left her home hungry.

Bernice left this earth in peace, without pain and surrounded by her family. She leaves to mourn five children: Berkeley Freeman Jr.—Lamb(Peaches), Lillian(Sis Freeman) Williams, Mary Lou Davis (Alfred), Benjamin Freeman, and Robert Freeman(Felicia Shay), 12 grandchildren: Renalda (Nickey) Williams, Benson(Tanky)Davis, Titus(Vimp) Williams(NaKeisha), Kori McDougald(Taneasha), Antoine Freeman(DeDreana), Bernice(Dinky)Brown(Sheldon), Natasha Pitter(Andre), Latonya Smith, Dr. S. Janine Parker, Keisha Williams, Tamika Freeman, and Tremayne Langford, 28 great grandchildren and, 4 great great grandchildren.

Although she was raised as an only child and grandchild, Bernice was reconnected with siblings later in her life. She was preceded in death by five sisters: Delores Days, Delores Kelly, Sylvia Kelly, Christine Kelly, Rosa Kelly and one brother George Kelly. She leaves to mourn her brother Walter Kelly of New York, sister, Cecelia Kelly of Orlando, Florida, and a host of relatives and friends.

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