Sara Shockley Frees, 96, of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday morning, April 18, 2026, and went to be with her Lord. Sara was born in Hazel Green, Alabama, on January 29, 1930, and she graduated from Hazel Green High School in 1947. After attending business college, she worked in secretarial positions, including at Redstone Arsenal, before serving in the United States Air Force from 1952 to 1954. Later in life, at the age of 60, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Mid-Continent Baptist Bible College in Kentucky.
While stationed at Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, Sara met and married her husband, Richard, in 1954, beginning 61 years of life together. Richard continued to serve in the Air Force, retiring in 1973. During those Air Force years, Sara was a full-time homemaker, raising four sons in such far-off locations as France and Japan.
Upon Richard’s retirement from the Air Force, he and Sara devoted themselves to full-time Christian ministry. Richard pastored churches in Mississippi, Kentucky, and Alabama, while Sara faithfully performed the many unsung duties associated with being a pastor’s wife, as well as serving as church pianist. In recent years, Sara was a member of Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, which she and her husband had joined when he retired from pastoral ministry.
Mrs. Frees was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Frees; her son, Mark Frees; her sister, Hazel Robertson (Joe); and her brothers, J.M. Shockley (Joan) and Louis Shockley (Violet). She is survived by three children, David Frees (Ludi), Jim Frees (Pam), and Kevin Frees (Jennifer); daughter-in-law, Lynn Frees; brother; Dean Shockley (Rhoda); thirteen grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and many other beloved family members and friends.
There will be a private family service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Huntsville’s Downtown Rescue Mission (DowntownRescueMission.org).
