Fred Phelps

Fred Phelps
Phelps in October 2002
Born
Fred Waldron Phelps

(1929-11-13)November 13, 1929
Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedMarch 19, 2014(2014-03-19) (aged 84)
Topeka, Kansas, U.S.
Education
Occupation(s)Pastor, lawyer
OrganizationWestboro Baptist Church
Spouse
Margie Marie Simms
​
(m. 1952)​
Children13, including
Shirley Phelps-Roper and
Nathan Phelps
RelativesMegan Phelps-Roper (granddaughter)

Fred Waldron Phelps Sr. (November 13, 1929 – March 19, 2014) was an American pastor, civil rights activist, anti-gay activist and disbarred lawyer. He was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He is best known for heading the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), an independent Baptist church based in Topeka, Kansas. He was often called "the most hated man in America".

Early life

On September 3, 1935, when Phelps was five years old, his mother died of esophageal cancer. 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.

Phelps earned a law degree from Washburn University in 1964. He started the Phelps Chartered law firm. In 1989 Phelps' legal career ended.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Brief Bio of Pastor Fred Phelps". godhatesfags.com. Westboro Baptist Church. Archived from the original on March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  2. ↑ Burke, Daniel (March 21, 2014). "Westboro church founder Fred Phelps dies". CNN. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  3. ↑ "CJOnline - InDepth". Archived from the original on 2013-03-01. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  4. ↑ "Who Was Fred Phelps, Excommunicated Anti-Gay Leader Of The Westboro Baptist Church?". International Business Times. 20 March 2014.
  5. ↑ Swaine, John (March 20, 2014). "Westboro Baptist church founder Fred Phelps dies aged 84". The Guardian. Retrieved March 20, 2014.

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