Dolly Loretta Channell Fretwell (February 13th, 1946 – August 25th, 2026)

Dolly Loretta Channell Fretwell passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, after a battle with dementia.

The family will accept visitors beginning at 9:00 a.m. Monday, August 31, 2026, at Magnolia Chapel North with a service at 11:00 a.m. Bro. John Brooks and Bro. Larry Morrison will officiate. Burial will follow in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Magnolia Chapel North directing.

Loretta Fretwell was a longtime, loyal, and beloved member of Five Points Baptist Church, where she served in the children's ministry and choir. Loretta's love for God and her church was only matched by her love for her family. She was a practical joker and loved making people laugh. Her happy place was working with plants and outdoor activities. She was the sixth sister of the "Channell Sisters," well known to many as "The Sisters." Loretta had a deep love for music and singing, and some of her happiest moments were spent singing alongside her sisters, creating memories that would remain treasured by them all.

For more than 40 years, Loretta was in the blueprinting industry. A familiar and respected name in the Tuscaloosa business community, Loretta and her sister Shirley co-founded TuscaBlue in 1994, creating a successful business that is still thriving today. She dedicated her career to serving local businesses, contractors, architects, and countless customers with hard work, precision, and a commitment to doing things right. Through the years, Loretta built lasting friendships and touched the lives of many people, leaving behind a legacy that will be remembered long after the presses have stopped running.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, Charles Kenneth Fretwell; parents Gilbert Russell and Lois Elizabeth Lewis Channell; mother-in-law, Ruby Nell Everett; sisters Geraldine Dockery and Martha Hinton; and daughter-in-law, Vicky Tims Fretwell.

Survivors include her sons Tony Fretwell of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Scott Fretwell (Becky) of Chesterfield, Virginia, Paul Fretwell and Tony Pearce of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; grandchildren Lace Breeding (Tyler), Cameron, Amanda, Jessca and Emily Fretwell, Melissa Giageos, and Keith Johnson; great-grandchildren Hailey and Isabella Johnson; sisters Marie Parker (Fred), Faye Creel, Eva Bolton, Shirley Crowder-Brown, Linda Hahn (Gary) and Judy May (Charles); and many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Chris Crowder, Bryan Hahn, Clay Hahn, Keith Johnson, Mark Sanford and Greg Watkins.

Honorary pallbearers are Billy and Dot Watkins, Harvey and Freda Fretwell, Ray and Mary Jennings, members of Five Points Baptist Church, employees of TuscaBlue, Hospice of West Alabama, and Hunter Creek Health and Rehab.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a contribution to Five Points Baptist Church, Northport, Alabama, and/or Hospice of West Alabama.