Nancy Freeman

Nancy Lloyd Davis Freeman, 84, died of cancer on May 9, 2025. She moved through the world with a gentle kindness that lifted those around her. Whether offering a thoughtful word, a knowing smile, or an insightful observation, she made people feel seen, valued, and loved. Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched with both tenderness and wisdom.
Nancy was born in 1940 and was raised in Chesterfield, Tennessee. She graduated with honors from Saint Thomas School of Nursing in Nashville as an RN. She continued her studies at the University of Tennessee at Memphis and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. While in Memphis she met a young medical school resident who she married in 1966.
Nancy and John had two sons when they moved to Thailand as Baptist missionaries. They traveled to Thailand on an ocean liner before air travel became common. During their 10 years in Thailand, they had two daughters and moved to a remote jungle region near the Burmese border. Nancy mastered the difficult Thai language while raising four children and schooling them. She also worked occasionally as a nurse in the hospital.
During their time in Thailand, a young Thai girl, Eiam Eiamchan, came to their household as a cook and maid. When Eiam fell seriously ill and disappeared, Nancy tracked her down near Bangkok and, with her family's blessing, brought her to a hospital where she recovered from a rare disease. John and Nancy then helped her finish high school and nursing school. Eiam became a Christian and continues to regard John and Nancy as her parents.
The Freemans returned to the US in 1977, and with four young children at home, Nancy completed a Masters of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. From 1982 to 1984, a work opportunity took them to Saudi Arabia.
In 1984, they settled in Bells, Tennessee next to John's mother's family home. Nancy worked at Union University as a nursing professor until 1994. She was an active member of the Bells Garden Club, judged many flower shows, and co-chaired a state club meeting in Jackson, Tennessee in 2015. She led the garden club to create a state-certified arboretum with more than 100 varieties of trees at Green Frog Farm. She was also a member of the Holly Society of America.
She is remembered for her love of animals and appreciation of nature's beauty. She had a deep faith and a strong intellect. She avoided the spotlight and didn't seek praise or admiration even as she made quiet unseen sacrifices to help her loved ones. A devoted mother, she was always there for her children, deeply valued their education, made each of them feel loved, and shared a unique bond with her grandchildren. John and Nancy celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary in March.
Services for Nancy Freeman will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025, at Green Frog Farm Event Center, with Bro. A.J. Keyte officiating. Burial will follow at Belleview Cemetery in Bells, Tennessee. The family will receive friends for visitation on Sunday evening, May 11, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Ronk Funeral Home.
Nancy is survived by her husband, John Freeman; four children, Lloyd Freeman (Harmony), Andrew Freeman (Anne), Krista Freeman Revelle and Mary Jonlyn Freeman; nine grandchildren, Will Freeman, Evans Freeman, John Freeman, Maggie Freeman, Kate Freeman, Maddie Revelle, Collin Revelle (Marissa), Davis Revelle and Clara Revelle; one great grandchild, Emaline Revelle; one brother, Robert Davis (Emily); and Eiam Eiamchan, who she loved like a daughter.
In addition to her parents, Llyod and Mary Harris Davis, Nancy was preceded in death by her brother, Joe Davis.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to one of the following charities. Links to the charities are provided below. The tree donation link below is *not* affiliated with the Green Frog Farms Arboretum.
Compassion International
Compassion International works to end child poverty by connecting vulnerable children with local churches who care for them by fighting malnutrition, delivering medical care and sharing the hope of the gospel, which changes everything.
https://www.compassion.com/ways-to-donate.htm
Free Burma Rangers
The Free Burma Rangers is a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement working to bring help, hope and love to people in the conflict zones of Burma, Iraq, and Sudan.
https://www.freeburmarangers.org/donations/
We encourage all who knew and loved Nancy to leave memories and upload photos to her memorial page. Reflecting on the love and joy Nancy brought to our lives will bring us comfort in this time of sorrow. We bid farewell to Nancy, a loving beacon of our family, and remember her not just as we last saw her, but as she was in all the beautiful moments we shared with her.