Freddie R. Hutton, surrounded by his loving family, was ushered into glory on Sunday afternoon, June 12, 2022, at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg.

Funeral services for Mr. Hutton, age 85, were conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at Phalti Baptist Church.  Interment followed in the church cemetery.

The family received friends and family for visitation on Tuesday evening, June 14, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Saulters Moore Funeral Home and Wednesday morning, June 15, at Phalti Baptist Church from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Freddie Randolph Hutton was born on Jan. 25, 1937, in Hinds County, to Percy and Myrtice Thorne Hutton. He attended school at Bolton through 7th grade before moving to Forest Hill where he graduated in 1955. Freddie’s love for sports began early in his childhood but bloomed when he entered Forest Hill where he played baseball, basketball, football, and ran track. By the time of his graduation, Freddie won 15 award letters while at Forest Hill.

His athletic career stretched further as he earned a scholarship to play basketball, baseball, and football at Mississippi College where he continued with great success and earned 10 varsity letters. He graduated from Mississippi College in 1959 with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Education. In 2000, Freddie was inducted into the Mississippi College Athletics Hall of Fame.

He began his teaching and coaching career at Belzoni High School as head basketball coach for three years. From there, he went to Pearl High School as a football, basketball, and baseball coach and a teacher. Freddie fell head over heels for the pretty P.E. teacher at Pearl in 1962, and the rest is history. He and Martha Jane Magee married on June 14, 1963, and would have celebrated their 59th anniversary this year.

Together, they moved to Vicksburg to continue their teaching careers. Freddie taught at multiple schools in the Vicksburg school district. In 1966, he and Martha started their family with the birth of their son Randy, and later, Mickey. In 1973, they suffered the loss of Randy to Cystic Fibrosis, but with the help of the Lord continued through life.

The Huttons moved to Brandon, in 1980, where Freddie was an administrator in Brandon for the Rankin County School District. He retired in 1989, and he and Martha moved to the country in Clem. He later returned to education where he served at Prentiss Christian School as a teacher, headmaster, and coach until his final retirement.

During Freddie and Martha’s years in Clem, they were members of Phalti Baptist Church where he was a deacon and a Sunday School superintendent. Freddie also loved singing in the choir. He enjoyed being outside where he would work in the yard and garden and take family and friends hunting and fishing. The number of lives that he impacted throughout his life was countless.

Freddie was a family man. He loved nothing more than holding a child or taking one of his nieces and nephews on a four-wheeler ride and teaching them to drive. He was a professional grandfather to his two cherished granddaughters. He mastered the art of cooking sunny-side-up eggs for breakfast and never hesitated to take them on rides. He also never missed an activity that they were involved in.

One of Freddie’s proudest accomplishments was being the founder of the Eagle Lake Coaching Clinic, where a group of educators from across the country meets around spring break every year to share in fellowship with each other. The Clinic has been running for 60 years and continues to this day.

Mr. Hutton was preceded in death by his parents, Percy and Myrtice Hutton; son, Freddie Randolph “Randy” Hutton, Jr.; three sisters, Ima Jean Bardin, Roma Dean Martin, Sarah Speights and two brothers, Percy “Junior” Hutton Jr. and Hugh Hutton.

He is survived by his wife, Martha Jane Magee Hutton of the Clem Community; his son, Mickey Hutton (Jennifer) of Loyd Star; his granddaughters, Jordan Hutton Savell (Tyler) of Brandon and Josie Hutton of Brandon; a sister, Gussie Fulton (Steamboat) of Temecula, California; a brother, Doug Hutton (Mary Sue) of Brandon and a multitude of nieces and nephews.

Serving as pallbearers were Hutt Hutton, Jay Hutton, Bill Magee, Britt Magee, Dalton Magee, Larry Magee, Chad Parish, Lee Parish and Cris Vinson.

Members of the Eagle Lake Coaching Clinic served as honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (act.alz.org/site/Donation), Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (cff.org/donate), or Phalti Baptist Church, 899 Clem Road, Prentiss, MS 39474.

Online condolences and a guest registry are available at www.saultersmoorefuneralhome.com.