Endowed Scholarship established in memory of Bishop Elvage M. Fondren, Sr.

by LaJuan Tallo

Senatobia, MS (11/14/2022) — In August 2022, the Panola County Habitat for Humanity established The Bishop Elvage M. Fondren, Sr. Endowed Scholarship at Northwest Mississippi Community College.

Fondren, who passed away in August 2021 at the age of 98, was one of the founding members of the Panola County chapter of Habitat for Humanity, which has now closed.

One of 11 children of William Clinton and Gussie Land Booker Fondren, he was born on May 23, 1923, and reared on a farm in the Batesville area. As a child, he attended New Enon School, a one- room school built from a log cabin. His daughter Mary Murphy recalled him telling her that he preached his first sermon at five years old to a "molasses bucket" not realizing that one day he would become a minister. Fondren completed up to seventh grade at Morrison School.

As a young man, he worked for William Faulkner, taking care of his horses and keeping his house clean. Fondren was given a house on William Faulkner's estate to live in. The house was later rented to a cousin, Lorene Langhorn, and ultimately burned down.

Fondren was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II and was stationed in Blackstone, Virginia. He took correspondence courses to complete his education and left the military in 1944. During that time, he began preaching and obtained his first title of bishop in Virginia at age 18.

He continued his education at R.R. Wright School of Religion. He received a diploma and an award for excellence there. He earned his bachelor's degree from the African Methodist Episcopal School of Theology in 1945. In 1947 he was ordained to preach, receiving his license from B.S. Lyles of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in north Mississippi. His license was signed by COGIC founder Bishop Charles Harrison Mason.

Fondren married Earnia Lois Jones in 1944 in Sardis. They were the parents of five children--Mary, Deloris, Elvage, Benjamin and Keith. After Earnia died, Fondren raised his children alone. He additionally had two children, Chauncey and Minetta. He and Earnia had 18 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. He later married his second wife, Dorothy Sheldon Fondren.

Fondren was employed at National Rose Furniture in Memphis for 27 years and was a member of the United Furniture Workers Union, Local 282. He also went to barber school and became licensed in barbering and cosmetology, keeping his license current for most of his life. He worked as a barber for 30 years at a shop on Park Airways in Memphis, next to the old Handy Theatre.

During his whole life, Fondren preached the word continually in churches, on street corners, in tent revivals and in numerous cities throughout the Southeast. He was the founder and pastor of Deliverance Tabernacle Pentecostal Church and East Batesville Church of God in Christ. With the help of the late State Rep. Leonard Morris, he was instrumental in purchasing land to build the church.

In addition to being a founding member of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, he was a member of TRIAD, a senior citizen community group.

Murphy describes her father as having a heart for others who was always willing to give of himself and to serve wherever he could, visiting the sick and the elderly. She said a lot of his good works were done in secret.

"He was always aware of the need to help his fellow man. His love for God was very present in his everyday life. I learned a lot by watching him. I realized how much he loved the Lord and the people," Murphy said.

Murphy said endowing the scholarship at Northwest would have been something her father would have liked. "He encouraged young people to get an education," she said.

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