Margaret Juanita Freeman

Margaret Bagby Freeman,one of fifteen children,was born May 7,1924 in Hanover County,Virginia from the union of the late Joseph and Dora Bagby. She celebrated her birth on May 9th due to a clerical error revealed to her only 4 years ago. Nicknamed,"Juanita" she lived faithfully as the widow of Walter Moses Freeman since 1973 and was preceded in death by two children,Walter Moses,Jr. and Gwendolyn Hedgepeth,and two grandchildren,Michael Ross and Roosevelt Hedgepeth,Sr. Margaret graduated from Hanover County Training School with a love for sewing. She confessed her faith in Christ at an early age and united with the fellowship of the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church under the pastorate of the late Reverend Louis H. Dickerson. She married early in life to Tommie Ruff. Later,she and her sister Peggy,moved to New York City to work. Margaret raised her children and lived there for 55 years. She raised three of her grandchildren in her home from 1970 until 1994. Her passion and love for children allowed her to become a trained foster parent in 1994 adopting her last foster child;Dennisha Cooke at the age of 80 in 2006. Margaret was a faithful member of Greater Tabernacle Baptist Church for over 20 years where four of her children were baptized. In 1989,she joined Friendly Baptist Church,Bronx,NY and served faithfully as a Willingly Worker where three grandchildren and daughter(foster child at the time)were baptized. She returned to Richmond,Virginia in 2006 and reunited with Pleasant Grove. It was important to her that her family comes into the knowledge of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was employed and retired from retail clothing at Alexander's Department Store. Her other affliliations included being a member of the Eastern Star,Vice President of the Community Watch Association,a strong community volunteer,and a registered and active voter. She rejoiced in th election of Barack Obama as our president. She witnessed to all but extra long and hard to her immediate family members. In her later years,she showed a true love,zest and zeal for the Lord and doing his will. In her neighborhood in East Richmond she was known as the lady who loved to walk or ride the bus witnessing for the LORD. Margaret bore five children. Cherishing her memory are one son,Aaron Freeman and wife,Jackie;four daughters,Paula Anderson,Joyce Ruff,Ruth Ross and Dennisha Freeman;twelve grandchildren;Alexeandrea and Jason Taliaferro,Morgan & Javette Freeman,Chimene Freeman Bruno,John Christina,Latisha Ruff.Lamont Hedgepeth,David Anderson,and the youngest Victoria and Joseph Ross;eleven great grandchildren;her remaining siblings,Dora"Plum" Robinson,Ollehi"Peggy" Ross,Beatrice"Bea"Slaughter,Andrew"Boo"Bagby and Zanderine Smith(Burton);an aunt,Ruby Bagby Cunningham;a host of nieces,nephews,cousins,former friends,former neighbors,co-workers and superiors. She will be missed by both the New York and Richmond communities

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Margaret Juanita Freeman

May 7, 1924 - June 16, 2010