Frederick Glenn Phinazee

Well done, good and faithful servant.

Frederick Glenn Phinazee entered this life on August 29, 1962 in Atlanta, Ga. He was one of six children that blessed the union of Edgar and Joyce Phinazee. He received Christ as Savior in his late teen years through the witness of his grandmother who attended Sims Avenue Baptist Church. His love for Jesus Christ was known to all through his love for others and his desire to tell everyone he met about his relationship with his Lord and Savior.

Fred grew up in Atlanta and attended Harper Archer High School and Georgia State University. He studied Food Service Management, Nutrition, and Dietetics and became an avid runner and lifetime promoter of health and fitness. While attending Southwest Christian Fellowship in Atlanta, he met Sheila Williams, who was to become his wife. They met through mutual friends Tom and Linda Fritz. They were married on March 27, 1993 and started their journey together. God blessed him and Sheila with three lovely daughters.

The family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 2007 to pursue new job opportunities. Fred worked for many years as a fitness coach where he continued his ministry of helping others by providing training and coaching in caring for their bodies as God’s temples. His favorite forms of fitness were gymnastics and running and he enjoyed doing sprints and short heats on the track. He worked a variety of jobs, including managing logistics at Burt’s Bees, but his favorite was coaching. He loved teaching gymnastics to children with his Georgia-based business Tumbleflyers for over 12 years.

In North Carolina, the family united with Church on the Rock located in Raleigh. Fred served his church in several capacities. This included Sunday school teacher, deacon, and men’s ministry leader. His absence will be truly felt within the church family.

In addition to ministry and fitness, Fred had an eye for fashion. Whether it was buying suits and shoes from black owned businesses or jackets, ties, and pocket squares from Italian and luxury fashion houses, Fred exuded style and class with his trademark print and pattern mixing.

In his free time, Fred enjoyed listening to classic jazz. Some of his favorite artists include John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. He liked going to comedy shows with his wife and enjoyed retro tv shows and cartoons. His favorites included The Twilight Zone, The Flintstones, The Outer Limits, and Stormy Weather. He liked astronomy and would look for planets and constellations on his telescope with his daughter Jadelyn. Over the years, he was an activist for social justice. He was also a poet and had some haikus published.
Preceding him in death are his parents, Edgar and Joyce Phinazee, In-laws Eli and Vergie Williams, sister Schelundie Phinazee and brother Desmon Phinazee, and grandmother Tora Rosson.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 28 years, Sheila (Fred would say 30 to include “courtin”), their daughters Zoe, Elise, and Jadelyn; brother Kevin, brother Xavier (LaTonya); and sister Ingrid Hayes (Oscar) of Atlanta. As well as a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and friends.
 

Funeral service at 1:00 PM Saturday May 15, 2021 at the C.A. Haywood, Sr. Memorial Chapel preceded by a 12:30 PM visitation.  Viewing from 2:00 - 8:00 PM Friday May 14, 2021 at Haywood Funeral Home.

The family will be observing COVID 19 protocol with limited attendees, masks, and social distancing. All welcome for Friday viewing. Invitation only for Saturday Funeral Service.

*****Service will be live streamed beginning at 12:55 PM*****

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