Freddie Lee Degree of Kingstown, NC, transitioned peacefully on Wednesday, December 28th, 2022 at Atrium Health – Cleveland. He was born on May, 10th, 1932 in Shelby, NC to the late Horace Degree and Margaret Williamson Degree. He was preceded in death by his siblings,William (Bill) Degree, Mary Frances Smith and Harvey Lee Degree. Freddie was a faithful member of Hopewell Baptist Church who taught Sunday School, served as Chairman of the Deacon Board and sang in the Male Choir. He was a devout Christian who never met a stranger. During every waking hour of his illness he constantly prayed, praised and thanked God.

He was a gospel singer from a young age and sang with The Wandering Souls then with the original Singing Five Stars of Shelby NC for over 35 years. He attended Washington High School. He was a well borer for Weathers Concrete, and was a fixer at Burlington Industries and Cone Mills until his retirement.

Freddie met the love of his life, his surviving wife, Della Cherry Degree when he was 18 years old and they were married for71 years. He is survived by his five children, Gloria Degree Gentry of Shelby, NC, Frederick (Stephanie) Degree of Tacoma WA, Reginald (Debra) Degree of Shelby, NC, Angela (Roger) Hernandez of Tacoma, WA, Sonya (Christopher) Sheehan of Kempner, TX.

He is survived by his seven grandchildren, Terrence (Jaime) Degree of Las Vegas, NV, Maurice Hunt of Shelby, NC, Travis (Shandee) Lockhart of Boiling Springs NC, Chadwick Mitchell of Shelby, NC, Kinna (William) Scearce of Tacoma, WA, Saysha Wilkerson of Shelby, NC, Thalia Sheehan of Kempner, TX. He leaves behind 26 great grandchildren, and 12 great great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his siblings, Gerome (Faye) Degree of Shelby, Aqeel El Amin of California, Pauline Bostic of Jersey City, NJ, Joe Nathan Degree of Shelby, Alfred (Cheryl) Degree of California, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2022 at 2:30 PM at Hopewell Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 2:00 PM until 2:30 PM on Saturday. The service will be livestreamed starting at 2:15 PM from the Enloe Mortuary Face Book page.