R. J. Free, Jr. Obituary

He was born and raised in Worth County and attended school in Sylvester and graduated in 1938 from Georgia Military College. He married Mildred Taylor of Blakely, GA in 1939, who preceded him in death in 1986. They had one daughter, Nona Moran, Bradenton, FL. Mr. Free later married Marjorie McDonald of Sylvester who also preceded him in death in 1995, later marrying Dorothy (Overby) Pollock in 1996, a widow of Robert Pollock. She being formally of Albany, living in Keosauqua, IA.Mr. Free purchased and ran a service station business in Sylvester before joining the Navy C. B.''s in 1942, serving almost 3 years in the Pacific Theatre of War. He was on rehabilitation leave and scheduled to be on the invasion of Japan when the war ended and he was honorably discharged from Jacksonville Naval Air Station in September 1945. Giving a short try in the grocery business and the short-goods business, he then entered the auto sales business with John Durham Jeep on S. Monroe St. winding up with Sloan Motors Dodge of Radium Springs Road. In 1951 he and Roy Tanner went into the used car business on Broad Ave., billing themselves as "Always Original Square Deal Boys". He was also co-partners in the opening of The Quail Motel, Blakely, GA in 1955. Later Tanner and Free purchased the Rambler Agency on Highland Ave. which today is known as Tanner-Deen Motors on East Oglethorpe Expressway. Free served as president of the company for ten years before selling his share to Jerry Deen. He worked as Sales Representative with Hicks Realty for several years before retiring in 1984. Free was active in civic affairs, serving with the Albany Chamber of Commerce, the Gideons, the American Legion, the VFW, and a Hospice volunteer. He was a charter member and twice president of the Downtown Exchange Club. He was a member of the Dougherty Lodge 591, the Scottish Rite Consistory, and a charter member of the Hasan Temple.Free experienced the "New Birth in Christ", November 20, 1970 and from that time on he spent the majority of his time with "Christian Business Men''s Committee" with headquarters in Chattanooga, TN, serving as Associate Staff Director for a number of years. He directed sixteen local Mayor''s Prayer Breakfasts, was one of the founders of Northgate Presbyterian Church, and is currently a member of LAMAD Chapel.

R. J. Free, Jr. Obituary

September 25, 1918 - November 28, 2003