Haywood Lee Epperson

                                                                                        HAYWOOD LEE EPPERSON

Sunrise September 18, 1939                                                                                                                                        Sunset April 26, 2025

                                                                                              “A Look at the Man”

Haywood Lee Epperson was born on September 18, 1939, in Mineola, Texas, to Joshua and Vivera Newsome-Epperson. He was baptized at Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church. Haywood's educational journey began at Addie E. McFarland Elementary and High School. After graduating, he served in the United States Army for three years before earning an honorable discharge, including a deployment to Germany.

He moved to San Francisco, CA, and later joined by his high school sweetheart, Betty Berry, even though the Mineola and Quitman boys constantly feuded over their women. The couple married on Friday, August 31, 1962, and were married for 62 years. They have two children, Marcus and Jeffrey, from Long Beach, California.

Haywood's professional life is marked by dedication and success. He had two jobs during his lifetime: the military and Chevron Corporation. His career at Chevron began at an entry-level position, pumping gas, and he steadily climbed the ranks to become a station manager and eventually Chevron's territory manager. He retired from Chevron after 43 years of service. Despite his full-time employment, Haywood was committed to his education, studying at Long Beach City College and California State University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach, CA.

Haywood was a self-made man, a businessperson, and a leisure man, making golf his primary hobby, traveling across the country, and winning first place in every tournament. He loved to fish and was a seasonal deer hunter. He was a meek, mild-mannered individual characterized as a critical thinker who was loving and sentimental. Haywood visited his hometown often to see his childhood friends, schoolmates, who lived in a circle (C) of neighborhood family, and friends who resided on Krause, South Stone, Belcher Street, and Walton Drive, visiting door-to-door on both the Southside and Eastside, visiting with small-town folks, and reminiscing about his early childhood, youth, and young adulthood days. He loved discussing current events and recalling experiences and memories.

During his life, he tried to make a difference with his family, friends, and colleagues. As a civil servant, co-founder, director/board member, with fourteen schoolmates at the Addie E. McFarland Foundation, Inc., established a non-profit organization in 1995. In addition, he attended all McFarland school reunions since 1982. He was a giving person who gave to family, charity, and non-profit organizations, such as the Addie E. McFarland Foundation, Long Beach Poly Football Team, and Helping Young People Excel (HYPE). From 2006 to 2007, he sponsored the Youth of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church financially, which attended the annual National Baptist Sunday School Convention. Haywood's contributions supported St. Paul and never failed to participate in church each time he came home to visit. Moreover, he is a member of the Elks Club, serving as assistant president. He was a motivator for others to keep on keeping on.

He leaves to cherish Betty Epperson, his wife; sons Marcus (wife Jocelyn) and Jeffrey, Sr. Haywood had two granddaughters, Morgan and Sydney, and two grandsons, Jeffrey, Jr. (JJ) and Jaden; siblings Joe Alvin and Bobby (wife Juanita); matriarch Aunt Pattie Wheeler-Newsome; cousins Rosalind Walton-Russell, Nelvin Murphy, and Gloria Murphy-Mayes; nieces Marcie Sharper-Duffey (husband Melvin) and Marsha Epperson-Duffey (husband Gregory); and nephews Joe Epperson, Jr., Anthony, and Robert Epperson, including many other nieces and nephews.