Leslie Elizabeth Thomas Freyer, 75, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend, passed away on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, surrounded by her family at the Hospice of the Golden Isles in Brunswick after a brief and very courageous battle with lung cancer.
Elizabeth was the daughter of Leslie McCarthy and Joseph Henry Thomas Jr. and leaves her husband of 53 years, Frederick Reese (Fred) Freyer Jr.; children, Frederick Reese (Reese) Freyer III (Kelly), Sarah Elizabeth (Sally) Freyer Haderlein (Robert) and Rebecca Dreese (Becky) Freyer; grandchildren, Kendall Elizabeth and Thomas Reese Haderlein and Frederick Reese IV and Susan Elizabeth Freyer; sister, Esther Thomas Smith; nieces, Leslie Smith Hunter, Amy Melinda Smith and Denie Freyer Harris (Mason); nephews, James Thomas Virginius Smith (Heather), Robert Arnold Freyer Jr. (Traci) and William Cooper Freyer (Kathleen); brother-in-law, Robert Arnold Freyer; great-nieces, Annaleigh and Sydney Smith and Reese and Penny Harris; great-nephews, Jackson, Davis and Ryan Freyer; Aunt Carolyn McCarthy Bolt; Uncle James B.F. Russell; as well as many beloved cousins, along with their spouses and children.
On Dec. 1, 1941, Elizabeth was born in Jesup where she was raised. Elizabeth was salutatorian of the Wayne County High School Class of 1959 and was a summer employee of the local gas company and Rayonier. Elizabeth was a 1963 graduate of Agnes Scott College in Atlanta where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history. After graduation, Elizabeth was employed in Atlanta by E.R. Squibb & Sons in the regional manager’s office. Elizabeth was a licensed real estate professional with Property Systems Real Estate, was a lifelong pine tree farmer and served as the general contractor for several personal homes.
Elizabeth throughout her life was actively involved in the Episcopal church. She was a former communicant of the Church of the Incarnation, Atlanta, where she was a member of the choir and was the EYC coordinator; St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, where she served as a Sunday school teacher and was a member of the choir; and Holy Innocent’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, where she served as ECW president, was a vestry member, treasurer and senior warden, taught seventh-grade Sunday school and was a member of the folk group and Foyers. Upon moving to St. Simons Island, Elizabeth was a communicant of Christ Church, Frederica, where she was a Foyers member, spent three years on the vestry, was a member of the usher team, the Manna House team, the handbell choir, the docent team, and the ECW, and was co-chair and chief cook for “Wednesdays at Christ Church” from 2008-2012.
Elizabeth enjoyed reading, deep water aerobics, culinary arts and entertaining, interior design, antiquing and canasta. In addition to her many other interests, Elizabeth was a former trustee for the University of the South, Sewanee; a former member on the Commission on Ministry for the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta; a Brunswick town committee chair for the Colonial Dames of America; a former member of the Coastal Symphony of Georgia Board of Directors, where she also served as president, was co-chair of the symphony antiques show, was a member of the symphony society and was instrumental in founding its youth symphony and the symphony society; a member of the St. Simons Literary Guild; a member of the Junior League of Savannah; a former member and president of the St. Simons Newcomers Club; a former member of the Foundation of Coastal Georgia Community College; a former member of the Board of Directors of the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association; a former member, program chairman and Christmas tour and garden walk committee member of the Cassina Garden Club.
Elizabeth’s burial and her funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 15, at Christ Church Frederica, 6329 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island. In lieu of flowers, donations made in Elizabeth’s honor to the Christ Church Building Fund, 6329 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, GA 31522 and the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, P.O. Box 21733, St. Simons Island, GA 31522, will be gratefully appreciated.