Rev. Dr. St. Paul Langley Epps passed away quietly at home in Windsor, NC on Sept. 16 at the age of 98, after a brief illness.
Rev. Dr. St. Paul Epps was one of eight children born to Azarina Langley Epps and William Henry Epps in Norfolk, Va.
A 1935 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, he was the first enrollee in a junior college which late became Norfolk State College.
He later graduated from Knoxville College in Tennessee and became the only African American to receive a masters of divinity degree from Pittsburgh - Xenia Theological Seminary in the class of 1942.
Rev. Epps was the recipient of two honorary doctorate degrees. In 2010 he was the grand marshal at Norfolk State University’s homecoming.
While in Henderson, NC, where he met and married Kathryn Gilliam, he received a call to start the Bel-Vue Community Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, the first African American church west of the Mississippi.. The church grew to approximately 800 under his leadership.
After 20 years there, in 1963, the family moved east where he became executive director of the fund for self development of people in the Presbyterian Church, USA. The office was in the United Council of Churches Building in NYC. The family moved to Teaneck.
After retirement in 1980, he continued to serve as interim minister in churches near their retirement home in Windsor, NC as well as performing weddings, baptisms and funerals of family and close friends.
St. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, seven siblings and son Braxton.
He leaves to mourn his wife Kathryn of 71 years, daughter, Frances of Teaneck, son, Sheldon of Pasadena, Calif., Daughter-in-law Veronica of Laurel Springs, grandchildren, Sheldon of NYC, Kathryn Ashley of Baltimore and a host of godchildren, nieces and nephews.
Donations may be sent to: The St. Paul Endowed Chair, Norfolk State University, 700 Park Ave. Suite 410, Norfolk, Va. 23504 or St Paul Scholarship Fund, Bel-Vue Community Presbyterian Church, 675 E. 118th St., Los Angeles, Ca. 90059.
Funeral services: 1st Presbyterian Church, Edenton.
Burial: Hillcrest Cemetery, Windsor.
Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, is handling the arrangements.
Rev. Dr. St. Paul Epps was one of eight children born to Azarina Langley Epps and William Henry Epps in Norfolk, Va.
A 1935 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, he was the first enrollee in a junior college which late became Norfolk State College.
He later graduated from Knoxville College in Tennessee and became the only African American to receive a masters of divinity degree from Pittsburgh - Xenia Theological Seminary in the class of 1942.
Rev. Epps was the recipient of two honorary doctorate degrees. In 2010 he was the grand marshal at Norfolk State University’s homecoming.
While in Henderson, NC, where he met and married Kathryn Gilliam, he received a call to start the Bel-Vue Community Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, the first African American church west of the Mississippi.. The church grew to approximately 800 under his leadership.
After 20 years there, in 1963, the family moved east where he became executive director of the fund for self development of people in the Presbyterian Church, USA. The office was in the United Council of Churches Building in NYC. The family moved to Teaneck.
After retirement in 1980, he continued to serve as interim minister in churches near their retirement home in Windsor, NC as well as performing weddings, baptisms and funerals of family and close friends.
St. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, seven siblings and son Braxton.
He leaves to mourn his wife Kathryn of 71 years, daughter, Frances of Teaneck, son, Sheldon of Pasadena, Calif., Daughter-in-law Veronica of Laurel Springs, grandchildren, Sheldon of NYC, Kathryn Ashley of Baltimore and a host of godchildren, nieces and nephews.
Donations may be sent to: The St. Paul Endowed Chair, Norfolk State University, 700 Park Ave. Suite 410, Norfolk, Va. 23504 or St Paul Scholarship Fund, Bel-Vue Community Presbyterian Church, 675 E. 118th St., Los Angeles, Ca. 90059.
Funeral services: 1st Presbyterian Church, Edenton.
Burial: Hillcrest Cemetery, Windsor.
Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, is handling the arrangements.
Rev. Dr. St. Paul Langley Epps passed away quietly at home in Windsor, NC on Sept. 16 at the age of 98, after a brief illness.
Rev. Dr. St. Paul Epps was one of eight children born to Azarina Langley Epps and William Henry Epps in Norfolk, Va.
A 1935 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, he was the first enrollee in a junior college which late became Norfolk State College.
He later graduated from Knoxville College in Tennessee and became the only African American to receive a masters of divinity degree from Pittsburgh - Xenia Theological Seminary in the class of 1942.
Rev. Epps was the recipient of two honorary doctorate degrees. In 2010 he was the grand marshal at Norfolk State University’s homecoming.
While in Henderson, NC, where he met and married Kathryn Gilliam, he received a call to start the Bel-Vue Community Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, the first African American church west of the Mississippi.. The church grew to approximately 800 under his leadership.
After 20 years there, in 1963, the family moved east where he became executive director of the fund for self development of people in the Presbyterian Church, USA. The office was in the United Council of Churches Building in NYC. The family moved to Teaneck.
After retirement in 1980, he continued to serve as interim minister in churches near their retirement home in Windsor, NC as well as performing weddings, baptisms and funerals of family and close friends.
St. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, seven siblings and son Braxton.
He leaves to mourn his wife Kathryn of 71 years, daughter, Frances of Teaneck, son, Sheldon of Pasadena, Calif., Daughter-in-law Veronica of Laurel Springs, grandchildren, Sheldon of NYC, Kathryn Ashley of Baltimore and a host of godchildren, nieces and nephews.
Donations may be sent to: The St. Paul Endowed Chair, Norfolk State University, 700 Park Ave. Suite 410, Norfolk, Va. 23504 or St Paul Scholarship Fund, Bel-Vue Community Presbyterian Church, 675 E. 118th St., Los Angeles, Ca. 90059.
Funeral services: 1st Presbyterian Church, Edenton.
Burial: Hillcrest Cemetery, Windsor.
Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, is handling the arrangements.
Rev. Dr. St. Paul Epps was one of eight children born to Azarina Langley Epps and William Henry Epps in Norfolk, Va.
A 1935 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, he was the first enrollee in a junior college which late became Norfolk State College.
He later graduated from Knoxville College in Tennessee and became the only African American to receive a masters of divinity degree from Pittsburgh - Xenia Theological Seminary in the class of 1942.
Rev. Epps was the recipient of two honorary doctorate degrees. In 2010 he was the grand marshal at Norfolk State University’s homecoming.
While in Henderson, NC, where he met and married Kathryn Gilliam, he received a call to start the Bel-Vue Community Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, the first African American church west of the Mississippi.. The church grew to approximately 800 under his leadership.
After 20 years there, in 1963, the family moved east where he became executive director of the fund for self development of people in the Presbyterian Church, USA. The office was in the United Council of Churches Building in NYC. The family moved to Teaneck.
After retirement in 1980, he continued to serve as interim minister in churches near their retirement home in Windsor, NC as well as performing weddings, baptisms and funerals of family and close friends.
St. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, seven siblings and son Braxton.
He leaves to mourn his wife Kathryn of 71 years, daughter, Frances of Teaneck, son, Sheldon of Pasadena, Calif., Daughter-in-law Veronica of Laurel Springs, grandchildren, Sheldon of NYC, Kathryn Ashley of Baltimore and a host of godchildren, nieces and nephews.
Donations may be sent to: The St. Paul Endowed Chair, Norfolk State University, 700 Park Ave. Suite 410, Norfolk, Va. 23504 or St Paul Scholarship Fund, Bel-Vue Community Presbyterian Church, 675 E. 118th St., Los Angeles, Ca. 90059.
Funeral services: 1st Presbyterian Church, Edenton.
Burial: Hillcrest Cemetery, Windsor.
Gilliam Funeral Home, Windsor, is handling the arrangements.
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