Pauline Perkins Donnell Freeman

Obituary For Pauline Perkins Donnell Freeman

Mrs. Pauline P. Freeman, 93, of Greensboro, MC died August 22, 2019. Funeral services will be held 12 p.m. Saturday, August 31, 2019 at Morning Star Baptist Church in Eden, NC. Burial will be in Hamlin Cemetery, Eden, NC. The family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the church.

Mrs. Pauline Perkins-Donnell Freeman, departed this life for her heavenly home on August 22, 2019. She was born in Spray (now Eden, North Carolina) on April 29, 1926 to the late James Allen and Bertha Lee Perkins, the second of nine children. Her early education was obtained in the Rockingham County Public School system. She graduated from Douglas High School in 1944, thereafter, she earned a nursing diploma in 1947 from L. Richardson Hospital School of Nursing in Greensboro, NC. She was Valedictorian of her graduating class, but just before graduation day, she took ill with Tuberculosis and was hospitalized. The speech that she had written was delivered by a classmate. After a six month stay in the hospital, Pauline was administered and passed the North Carolina State Board Examination for Registered Nurses. In 1950, she accepted a nursing position at Polio Hospital in Greensboro, NC where she worked until it closed in 1958. Afterwards, she continued her career as a RN at her Alma Mater, L. Richardson Memorial Hospital (a hospital for black people). It was during this period that she met and married George Edward Donnell in 1948 and to their union, four children were born, George Vernon, Adri-Anne, Terri-Lynne and Maurice. In 1962, Pauline Perkins-Donnell moved back home to Eden to provide a stable, loving and nourishing environment for her four children. She was an active member of the local chapter of the NAACP. Although a qualified registered nurse, because she was black, the nearby Morehead Hospital (designated for white only) would not hire her. Consequently, she applied to Annie Penn Memorial Hospital, Reidsville, NC, where she was hired to provide health care for black patients only. She later met and married Alexander Freeman and relocated to Baltimore, MD (1976) where she continued her nursing career at Bon Secours Hospital. With this union, a blended family was formed, adding Alexander’s 3 sons; Leroy, Ellwood and Wallace. Pauline and Alexander enjoyed a blissful marriage for thirty-seven years. During this time, they traveled to Canada, Jamaica, and the Bahamas and throughout the United States. After retirement, they returned to Greensboro, NC in 1991 where she became very active in the community. For many years, she served and worked as a pollster during city, county, state and nationwide elections. In 1993, she received a plaque from the city recognizing her for her volunteer services. She attended Genesis Baptist Church (under watch care) and served on the Nurses Guild and the Health and Wellness Ministry. She loved and cherished God, her family and her community. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Alexander Freeman, step-son, Wallace Freeman, daughter-in-law, Felecia H. Donnell, four brothers, James Edward “Teet”, Alvia Lee, Ralph Allen, Otis Broadnax, sister, Betty A. Smith, three sisters-in-law, Doris Perkins, Jerline Perkins, Ethel Broadnax, two brothers-in-law, Joe Smith and Luther Broadnax. She leaves to treasure her fond memories: two sons; Vernon Donnell (Sherron) of Greensboro, NC, Maurice Donnell of Upper-Marlboro, MD, two daughters; Adri-Anne Jones (Earl) of Greensboro, NC, Terri-Lynne Roman (James) of Jacksonville, FL, twelve grandchildren; Aliya Davenport (Jason), Rene Donnell, James IV and Allyn Roman (Dorian), Ivan Hooper, Devbin and Layla Donnell, Kimberly, LeRoy, Jr., Rodney, Bonnie, Richard Freeman, three great-grandchildren; Howard Vernon Davenport, Nylla Jade and Nyles Maurice Roman, Iveyona and Ivan Jr. Hooper and Trenton Thomas, two step-children; LeRoy Connie and Elwood Freeman, three sisters; Bertha Mae Broadnax, Eden, NC, Ramona Courts (Curtis) of Amityville, NY, Delores Wells (Joe) of Eden, NC, numerous nieces, nephews, a host of relatives and friends.

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