Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Grenada for Joan Blaylock Freely, 82, of Grenada, who went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, Aug. 12, exactly one year after her husband of 62 years, Donald Freely. Burial will follow in Alva-Parker Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until service time on Saturday, Aug. 19, at Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Joan was born on Aug. 6, 1941, the daughter of the late Leslie and the late Pauline Blaylock. She was the oldest of six children. Joan graduated from Derma High School in 1959. She married Donald on Sept. 4, 1959. Joan was an active member of Emmanuel Baptist Church. She started her banking career as a teller at Grenada Bank where she was promoted to head teller, branch manager and vice president of training. She enjoyed riding her bicycle, gardening, sewing, tending to her beautiful home and hosting family events.
In addition to her husband and parents, her siblings, Charles Blaylock, Jerry Blaylock and Ida Horton, preceded Joan in death.
Survivors include, her son, Michael Freely (Jo Anna) of Starkville; daughter, Stephanie Case (Duane) of Hernando; grandchildren Cali Sims, Cole Freely, Colby Freely, Keegan Case and Cory Freely; great grandchildren, David Sims, Isabella Sims, Kylan Sims and Amelia Sims and a host of other loved ones.
Pallbearers will be Cliff Blaylock, John Paul Blaylock, Phillip Blaylock, Michael Cox, Bubba Freely, Don Gober, Robert Hamblin and Robert Hicks.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to Gideons International, the Emmanuel Baptist Church Building Fund or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Online condolences can be expressed to the family at www.mckibbenandguinn.com
McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada is in charge of arrangements.
