Ethel Freeman

Ethel Madge (Mae) Freeman was born to Gracie Lee Young (Freeman) of Slate Shoals, Texas, and Lewis Freeman of Soper, Oklahoma, on September 25, 1933, in Powderly, Texas. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1955. Ethel was raised in a proud farming family and was 1 of 15 children. She attended Rose State College. At a young age, she married and to that union was born a beautiful daughter, Thelma Marie Blunt (Hightower). Ethel accepted Christ as a teenager at the local Church of God in Christ (C.O.G.I.C.) church in Bluff, Oklahoma, where she received the gift of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in tongues. Throughout her lifetime she continued her journey with the Lord and grew in her relationship with Him. She rededicated her life to Christ at the church her daughter attended, Life Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church in Huntsville, Texas, and was baptized in the name of Jesus. (Acts 2:38) Over 40 years ago, she joined Greater First Deliverance Temple in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, under the leadership of Bishop Vanuel C. Little, Sr., and continued to faithfully serve her church under her pastor Suffragan Bishop Vanuel C. Little, Jr. Ethel greatly loved her pastors and her church. You could not be around her for any length of time and not hear about her admiration of her church family. During her time at Greater First Deliverance Temple, she was a part of the Health Professionals Association and served as a Senior Nurse. Ethel took pride in this responsibility to serve her pastors, church, and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (P.A.W.) organization in this ministry capacity. She attended and served faithfully in-person until her death. Ethel worked in the medical field for many years. Her career spanned over 60 years and afforded her to work in surgery, recovery, labor & delivery, OBGYN, pediatrics, hospital and private duty nursing. She worked at St. Anthony’s Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital, Baptist Hospital, Midwest City Hospital (now St. Anthony’s Midwest City), and Deaconess Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California. During her career she also worked as a travel nurse and those assignments took her to places like Buffalo, New York, and Catawba, North Carolina. When asked what her favorite assignments were, she said, “Caring for the elderly and autistic children.” Ethel later re-married and joined her husband during his military assignment to North Highlands, California, (McClellan Air Force Base) and deployment to Angeles City, Philippines (Clark Air Force Base). Ethel was a Coordinator for Ways & Means. She was a member of Gold Star Wives of America, Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Proud Supporter of America’s Veterans and many other organizations. Ethel loved to shop and dress-up! She was known for her clothes, hats, purses, and shoes. She loved to travel the world. Her travels took her to France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Holland, Philippines, England, Japan, Wake Island, Bahamas, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, Hawaii, and most of the states in the United States. She loved singing, cooking, and caring for her family and friends. She was famous for her fried pies. She was known for always sending cards to let others know that she was thinking about them. When asked what she was proudest of, she replied, “When I got grown and left home!” She loved life and lived it to the fullest. She had a big heart and loved hard. She was determined to make a life that allowed her to help others. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son-in-love, Elliott Moses Hightower; her grandson, Tracy Hightower; her great-daughter, Isabella Stickel; her great-grandson, Jaxon Stickel; her brothers Tommie Amous, Lewis (June Bug) Freeman, Jr., George Herman Freeman; and her sister, Bea Freeman. To cherish her memories, Ethel leaves behind her daughter, Thelma Hightower; her grand-daughters, Rashall Hightower and Lorna Herron; her grandson, Daniel Woodson; her great-grand-daughters, Tamera Hightower, Jayla Sanchez-Hightower, Shaniah Hightower, and Shiann Coleman; her great-grandson, Isaiah Sanchez-Hightower; her great-great grandson, Jhae Hightower; her sisters, Dorothy Lennox, Daisy (Bonnie) Miller, Leola McCarty, Louisteen (Tina) Justice, and Marian Curry; her brother, Kenneth (Jerome) Freeman; her brother-in-love, Earl Curry; and a host of wonderful nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, family, and loved ones.