Freeman Suggs, age 86, went to be with our Lord on June 15, 2012. He was
born March 4, 1926 in Manatee County, Fla., to Tink and Ida Mae Adkins Suggs. He
married Annie Earline Smith on June 10, 1948, at Bethany Baptist Church, Myakka
City, Fla.
Mr. Suggs joined the U.S. Army as a private first class in January 1945 and
served for two years. He was stationed in the Philippines and Japan.
He was employed by Rutland Ranch in eastern Manatee County for a very short
time. He was hired by Peninsular Telephone Company, (later GTE and Verizon) in
Bradenton Nov. 8, 1954. Within the telephone company he worked in construction,
the cable department and then in the Palmetto and Myakka City switch rooms. He
retired from GTE after 30 years on April 30, 1985.
During his lifetime, he was a member, deacon and Sunday School teacher at
Bethany Baptist Church and Braden River Baptist Church in Manatee County,
Hardeetown Baptist Church of Chiefland, Fla., and Macedonia Baptist Church in
Mayday, Ga.
He was a member of the Echols County Lions Club, where he served as president
for two years and was an active member for the Echols County Historical Society.
He was predeceased by his wife of 59 years, Earline. He is survived by his son
Daniel Freeman (Angela) of Lansing, N.C.; and his three daughters, Deborah Allen
of Mayday, Ga., Dale Ormond (Rob) of Sarasota, Fla., and Darinda Knudstrup
(Martin) of Bradenton, Fla. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, five
step-grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held at the Griffith-Cline Funeral Home on Thursday, June 21
from 6-8 p.m. Mr. Suggs' funeral will be held at Bethany Baptist Church in
Myakka City on Friday, June 22 at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Jimmy Driggers
presiding. — Griffith-Cline Funeral Home, Bradenton, Fla.
Valdosta Times