A celebration of life is being planned for Patricia Moore “Granny Pat” Freels, whose passion for art and life left an immeasurable impact on Morristown for generations to come, died peacefully Feb. 17 in Knoxville at the age of 94, surrounded by family during a reading of Psalm 139.

Among her many contributions to Morristown, Freels was instrumental in the transition of the Rose Center from an aging school building to the cultural arts center it is today.

Born and raised in Miami, Freels showed her artistic ability from an early age. One of her earliest memories was gathering the hibiscus flowers in her yard at age four, crushing them to create a red tint, and painting a beautiful mural on the stucco on the side of her home with it. This did lead to a fair amount of punishment from her parents, but it also resulted in her receiving a new paint set, plus art lessons from a lady at church.

Her first real painting was an image of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus, which her mother loved dearly.

Later her drawing talent led to working with Disney, making hand-drawn pictures of Mickey Mouse that were used to create movie reels, according to her daughter, Martha Freels Pack.

Despite her artistic talents, Freels faced certain expectations of a young woman of that era. Following her parents’ wishes, she attended the University of Kentucky as a Home Economics Major.

After marrying James C. Freels Jr. in December of 1953, the couple moved to Morristown where Pat put her Home Economics degree to good use, raising her family while her husband looked after the family business, Freels Drug Store.

However, after the birth of her fourth child, she followed her life-long dream – inspired by Ron Castle’s Art class at Walters State. Pat returned to school where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Tennessee. That education prepared her for a career devoted to teaching and to the promotion of the Arts in her community.

Pat was a founding member of the Morristown Art Association. She next taught Art at Morristown East High for many years, where she shared her deep knowledge of art history and her passion for creative expression. She believed art was an essential part of a well-rounded education and worked throughout her life to promote appreciation for the Arts in Morristown.

A longtime member of the Knoxville Watercolor Society, she was known as a talented local artist whose work and encouragement inspired many.

Perhaps her biggest impact on the local art community wasn’t a painting or drawing at all. Pat was part of the original team that created the grant proposal to turn the former Rose School to a cultural arts center, Freels was running up against a deadline, Martha Pack said, and

caught a helicopter ride with a local businessman to the state capitol to make sure the documents arrived on time.

After helping secure the grant funding, she taught numerous painting and printmaking classes at Rose Center and participated in many exhibits as an artist, judge, and supporter.

In addition to her traditional artistic endeavors, Pat was an artist in the garden as well. A member of the Garden Club, she loved flowers and landscaping and the beauty of

nature.

Beyond her love of the Arts, she participated in the Women’s Club, multiple Bridge Clubs, and was a founding member of her beloved Book Club. She also was a founding Board Member of ALPS where her beloved husband Jim was a founding client.

A devoted member of First Presbyterian Church, she loved teaching Bible school and Sunday School.

After the death of her husband, Pat married Dr. Dudley Saul of Washington State, who also preceded her in death.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, April 18, 2026 at First Presbyterian Church, Morristown for Patricia Moore” Granny Pat” Freels.