• 36°
franklin county times

Distinguished Through the Decades: 2007, Lydia Hammock Freeman

Progress 2022: Distinguished Through the Decades

Red Bay’s Lydia (Hammock) Freeman said she grew up doing pageants and felt competing in Junior Miss would broaden her horizons. “I really wanted to compete for the scholarship aspect of it and to meet new people,” she said. “I thought I had a really good chance of doing well, and of course my mom and dad pushed me.”

The daughter of Beth and Richard Hammock, Freeman was a Tiger cheerleader and track team member. She also played basketball and tennis in seventh and eighth grade. She was voted football queen her senior year as well as Miss RBHS, and she made Top 10 of her class. Her high school memories also include working at Tiffin Supply during the summers from age 16.

For Junior Miss, Freeman said she remembers it being a hefty responsibility, in terms of balancing her commitments and making time for all the practices and preparation needed.

“Overall it was totally worth it. I think I gained a lot,” Freeman said. “I would do it all over again.”

Through her experience, she said she grew as a person and made so many new friends. She was shocked, excited and thankful to be selected as Franklin County’s Junior Miss 2007. “I just remember it being all worth the time, effort and dedication I put into it.”

After starting her higher education at Mississippi State University, Freeman continued to the University of Mississippi School of Nursing. “I thought I wanted to take care of babies. I’ve always loved caring for the kids growing up in church,” said Freeman, who attended first Belgreen church of Christ and then Eastside church of Christ.

After working a rotation on the pediatric floor, however, she changed her mind, choosing to forego pediatric nursing. Instead, she began her career on the med-surge floor at North Mississippi Medical Center.

By then she was married to husband A.J. Freeman, who had a coaching and teaching job in Tupelo, where the couple lived.

Med-surge, she said, was “an eye-opening experience.” She worked night shift, seven days on, seven days off, for two years. “I learned a lot being on med-surge, and I would never take that for granted,” said Freeman.

The patient load, however, was taxing, and eventually she needed a change. She now works in the Center for Digestive Health at North Mississippi Medical Center. “I work in the pre-op area and the recovery room and then also in the back during procedures, like colonoscopies and scope tests,” she explained. “I like that I’m not doing the same thing every day.” In her off hours she also works PRN for Infinity Infusion Nursing, providing care in a patient’s home.

Husband A.J. has also shifted careers since early in their marriage, now owning an insulation business.

Son Bentley is 6, and son Breck is 3, and the family now lives in Mooreville, Miss., a small town between Fulton and Tupelo, where they love the school district and just built their forever home.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

Franklin County

RCS holds annual Black History Month program 

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: American Legion Posts 64 and 120 – ‘Veterans Strengthening America’

Franklin County

RHS graduate crowned Miss Northwest Shoals

Franklin County

RHS graduate crowned Miss UNA

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: In memoriam – Monuments honor the fallen of Franklin

High School Sports

RHS senior chosen as Bryant-Jordan Region 8 Scholar winner

High School Sports

Russellville High School ladies soccer team members participate in annual Night to Shine

x