Alice L. Freeman 1943-2022

She was born April 9, 1943, in Alliance, the daughter of Excell Kirksey and Katherine Pollard Oliver.

She attended Franklin, Stanton and Alliance High School. She later received her diploma in 1983.

She married her husband, Ralph Freeman, on Feb. 14, 1959. They moved to Youngstown in October 1964. She was a member of the Antioch Baptist Church.

Babydoll loved sewing, doing hair, dressing up and planting flowers in her yard. She really loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was the owner of BD’s Fashion and Design.

Alice worked with the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority for 12 years as a resident advocate, retiring in 2008. She loved working with the residents of Westlake Homes, especially her seniors and the youth. Babydoll was president of the Westlake Resident Council, president of the NRP Resident Council — RAB Board member of the Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership (MYCAP) — Head Start Policy Council, AARP-Westlake, NRP Block Watch, and Book Club. Alice received numerous awards for volunteering for different projects. She was a member of the Sassy Senior Group.

The Honorable James Tito Brown, mayor of the City of Youngstown, recognized Alice on June 23, 2020, with a proclamation citing her commitment to serving the Historical Youngstown Westlake Community, now The Village at Arlington.

Alice was preceded in death by her parents, Excell Kirksey and Katheryn Pollard Oliver; her husband, Ralph Freeman, who died April 11, 1987, a daughter, her beloved Yvonne Freeman of home; her brothers, Wilbert Oliver, George L. Miles Jr. and Edward Kirksey Jr.; her maternal parents, Ameala and William Pollard; her paternal parents, Mattie and Dan Kirksey; and a special godmother, Virginia Dixon.

She leaves to cherish her memory Chief Nathan E. (Katrelle) Pollard of Hampton, Ga., David (Carol) Freeman of Youngstown, Dion Freeman of Alliance and Tamara Lynn Freeman of Lithonia, Ga.; brother, Barry Williams of Alliance; sister, Debra (Pookie) Lyles of North Las Vegas, Nev.; 29 grandkids, especially Lamont and Carlena, whom she helped raise; 19 great-grandkids; seven foster grandkids Yvonne, Teiona Gowdy, whom she and her daughter, Yvonne, helped raise, along with George, Nikkie and RoRo Jones; a niece, Joyce Brown of Atlanta; three nephews; three brothers-in-law; four sisters-in-law; and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins.

Babydoll will be truly missed by her special friends, Marion “Bootsy” Harris and Jackie Lemon, who was like her sister; her friends at YMHA, MYCAP, SASSY and NRP; and two special friends, James Frazier and Paul Robbins.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, and 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at L.E. Black, Phillips and Holden Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Due to the pandemic, all guests are asked to wear masks and observe social distancing.

(special notice)