Jay Council Member Dies; Town Hall Closed For Thursday Funeral

June 3, 2009

Louise Freels, a member of the Jay Town Council, has died, leaving the five seat council with just three members.

freels.jpgMary Louise Phillips Freels, 73, passed away at Jay Hospital over the weekend. Jay Town Hall will be closed Thursday for her funeral.

Freels won her first seat on the Jay Town Council in 2004 and was reelected last year for another four year term as one of the top two vote getters for two open seats on the council. Council member David Bush resigned his seat in May. Town officials have not yet announced if they will appoint new members or wait until one is elected in 2010.

Jay Town Hall will be closed Thursday in memory of Freels. Visitation for Mary Louise Freels will be 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Jay Funeral Home.  Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with pastors Virginia Beckham and  Jeff Hemley officiating. The Jay Town Council and Jay  employees will be among the honorary pallbearers.

Freels was born and raised in the Jay area, and graduated from Jay High School where she was homecoming queen n 1952. She attended Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, graduating with a degree in English. Freels returned to Jay in 1976 to teach English at Jay High School. She later received a Masters degree in Library Science.  She was a member of Jay United Methodist Church.

Freels is survived by her daughter and son in law, Drs. Michael and Stephanie Marschall, her grandchildren Erika and Ehren Marschall, her brothers William Eugene Phillips, Cecil (Margaret) Phillips, Joe Phillips, Lloyd Phillips and Neal (Millie) Phillips, and her sisters Thelma (Howard) Phillips and Rochelle (Wayne) Brown.

Friends and Family wishing to honor Mary Louise Freels may make a donation in her memory to the United Methodist Children’s Home in Selma, Alabama.

Comments

2 Responses to “Jay Council Member Dies; Town Hall Closed For Thursday Funeral”

  1. Jim Dimbleby on June 3rd, 2009 9:59 am

    Dear Stephanie, Mike, Erika and Ehren,
    Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers at your time of loss. Words cannot express how sorry I am. You have my deepest sympathy.

    Jim Dimbleby

  2. Crystal Black Ates on June 3rd, 2009 9:01 am

    My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Ms. Freels. I believe that she was one of the best teachers that taught at Jay High School. She was a great role model for all her students. She saw the best in everyone. She will be greatly missed in the Jay community. May she rest in peace.