Mrs. Birdie L. Freeman

 Sylvia Pepper Skipper, known as Birdie Lee Skipper Freeman, age 81, of St. Joseph, Louisiana, joined our loving Creator at 1:02 AM, Saturday, April 11, 2020, at her home, surrounded by family, in St. Joseph, LA. She was born on March 24, 1939, in Natchez, MS, to the late James Skipper, Sr., and Louise Taylor Cephus. As a child, she attended Sevier High School in Ferriday, LA, and Tensas Rosenwald High. At an early age, she met and married Charlie Freeman. From their union, ten children were born. Birdie was baptized at an early age at Old St. Reed Church on Sycamore in Vidalia, LA. She later joined St. John Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. R.H. Harris. Birdie was an Army spouse and worked as a homemaker for various families throughout Tensas Parish. She loved all her family and friends; she had a very kind heart and didn’t have a problem telling you what was on her mind. She will be truly missed. Birdie was preceded in death by her father, James Skipper, Sr.; mother, Louise Taylor Cephus; sister, Dorthey Cephus-Robinson; brother, Louis James Skipper; two sons, Floyd Freeman and Henry Freeman; grandchild, Robert Freeman, Jr.; great-great-grandchild, Kelsey Minor, Jr.; two special friends, Margertia Staves (Dear) and Ruby Gray. Birdie leaves to cherish her memories: six daughters and two sons, Laura Lloyd (Allen), Lula Marshall, and Geraldine Freeman (Wilbert), all of St. Joseph, Jennifer Freeman of Ferriday, LA, Gloria Freeman of Milwaukee, WI, Almeda Freeman-Mason (James Jr.) of Fort Lee, VA, Elijah Freeman (Kesha) of Killeen, TX, and James Freeman of St. Joseph, LA; three sisters and two brothers, Beulah Skipper-Conner of Ferriday, LA, Mary Palmer of Baton Rouge, LA, Edith Jean Badon of New Orleans, LA, Robert Skipper, Sr., of St. Francisville, LA, and James Cephus (Annie May) of Waterproof, LA; 20 grandkids, 27 great-grands and one great-great-grand. She was a loving, devoted grandmother to Erica Farris, whom she helped raise as a daughter; two special nephews, Joseph Strawder and Raymond Howard; special cousin whom she adored, Oneder Roy “eat your carrots”; Aaron Staves, Sr., whom she adored as a son; two special godchildren, Darrell Clark (DC) and Devin Brown (Bare); extremely loving neighbors, Clyde and Letty McWilliams, Jerry Brown, Tommy Lee, Rhonda Miller, Elizabeth McDowell, and Tricia Lloyd. A very special thanks to Betty Gray, Deloris Lawson, Sandra Farris, Tracy Staves, Dorothy and Johnny Tilmon, Peggy Easter-Barnes, Shirley Lewis-Barnes, Larry Ellis, Willie B. Joyce, Gloria Edsiroe, Sheila and Liondell Guy, Cynthia Gordon, Herman Watson, Eugene Watson and Willie James Percy, her two Hospice Caretakers, Cynthia and Charlene; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. 

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