Fred Phelps
Fred Waldron Phelps Sr. (November 13, 1929 – March 19, 2014) was an American pastor, civil rights activist and disbarred lawyer. He was born in Meridian, Mississippi.[1] He is best known for heading the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), an independent Baptist church based in Topeka, Kansas.[1] He was often called "the most hated man in America".[2]
Fred Phelps | |
|---|---|
 Phelps in October 2002 | |
| Born | Fred Waldron Phelps November 13, 1929 Meridian, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | March 19, 2014 (aged 84) Topeka, Kansas, U.S. |
| Education |
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| Occupation | Pastor, lawyer |
| Organization | Westboro Baptist Church |
| Spouse(s) | Margie Marie Simms (m. 1952) |
| Children | 13, including Shirley Phelps-Roper and Nathan Phelps |
| Relatives | Megan Phelps-Roper (granddaughter) |
Early life
On September 3, 1935, when Phelps was five years old, his mother died of esophageal cancer.[3] After the death of their mother, Phelps and his younger sister were raised by their great-aunt Irene Jordan in Meridian. In 1950, Jordan died in a car accident. On December 25, 1944, Phelps' father married Olive Briggs, and Phelps and his sister were raised by their father and stepmother in Meridian.
Legal career
Phelps earned a law degree from Washburn University in 1964. He started the Phelps Chartered law firm. In 1989 Phelps' legal career ended.[4]
Political views
Phelps was a member of the Democratic Party.
Death
Phelps died from congestive heart failure on the morning of March 19, 2014 in Topeka, Kansas. He was 84 years old.[5]
Fred Phelps Media
Fred Phelps as young man
Advertisement for opening service of Westboro Baptist Church, Topeka Capital, 1955
- FredPhelpsonhispulpit
Phelps picketing outside the Kansas State Capitol
Phelps speaking at a picket at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Brief Bio of Pastor Fred Phelps". godhatesfags.com. Westboro Baptist Church. Archived from the original on March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- ↑ Burke, Daniel (March 21, 2014). "Westboro church founder Fred Phelps dies". CNN. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
- ↑ "CJOnline - InDepth". Archived from the original on 2013-03-01. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ↑ "Who Was Fred Phelps, Excommunicated Anti-Gay Leader Of The Westboro Baptist Church?". International Business Times. 20 March 2014.
- ↑ Swaine, John (March 20, 2014). Westboro Baptist church founder Fred Phelps dies aged 84. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/20/westboro-baptist-church-fred-phelps-dies. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
Other websites
- Fred Phelps on IMDb
- Fred Phelps at the Notable Names Database