Obituary: Anita Freedman - Atlanta Jewish Times

Anita Freedman passed away peacefully on Jan. 19, 2025, in Atlanta at the age of 98.

Anita was born in Atlanta, Ga., on Sept. 22, 1926, to Max and Mae Fagelson. Anita enjoyed a warm and happy childhood with older sister, Yvette, making memories surrounded by family in Atlanta and across the southeast. Anita graduated from Girls High School in Atlanta and attended University South Carolina.

Following college, Anita met her beloved husband and soulmate, Sidney Freedman, on a blind date, after which, they married just months later. Together they built a beautiful family — five children — and traveled the world together, everywhere from Laos, China, and Vietnam to Italy, France, and Israel. They were married for 68 years when Sidney passed away in 2016.

Anita also was an active member of the Atlanta Jewish community, first as a congregant of Ahavath Achim Synagogue and then Etz Chaim. She was also a member of Hadassah and ORT. But perhaps what she was most famous for was her weekly Shabbat dinners that brought her enormous family together every Friday night to enjoy delicious homemade soups, challahs, dishes and desserts. An avid and well-trained home chef, one of Anita’s love languages certainly was food. Holidays at her house were marked by the gentle aroma of kreplach, challah and tzimmes, and family members also savored their birthday Shabbat when they would choose the menu that week. She loved bringing her family together in these moments and relished the opportunity to create memories and traditions around the Jewish holidays.

Anita also was an experienced mahjong player, active in stock club for many years, and served as a loyal Hawks fan, even if just in support of Sidney.

Anita was predeceased by her daughter, Linda Idelson (Charles), and is survived by her daughters, Peggy Freedman (Larry), Sandra Freedman (Mac), Kathy Schwartz (Herb), and her son, Ken Freedman (Robyn), as well as her niece, Debbie Shuping (Andy), as well as grandchildren, Ileanna Digiacinto, Jennifer Idelson, Monica Green (Aaron), Melissa Bank (Shaun), Michelle Nance (Patrick), Margaux Gutierrez (Jared), Erica Nooromid (Michael), Chaim Schwartz (Menucha), Hilary Freedman (Michael), Morgan Dolezal, Valerie Shuping (Sam) and Graham Shuping (Harley) and 26 great-grandchildren.

The family also wishes to thank Anita’s caregivers for their loving and dedicated care and support. They very much have become family.

Graveside funeral services were held on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at 3 p.m. at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs, Ga. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Anita’s memory to Chabad of Downtown Roswell 1036 Canton Street, Roswell, Ga. 30075, www.chabaddtr.org/, Congregation Etz Chaim, www.etzchaim.net, 1900 Indian Hills Parkway NE, Marietta, GA 30068, or Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30328. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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