Reverend Ernest Thigpen

Ernest Thigpen was born on September 12, 1924, in Olanta, South Carolina, to Jesse Allen Thigpen, who lived to the age of 99 and passed in 1997, and Mabel Irene Thomas, who passed in 1947 at 48. He had several siblings, including Charles, Edward, his twin brother Ingram (who passed in 1995 at the age of 70), Annelyn VanRoten, Vida Melton (who passed in 1981 at the age of 56), and one stillborn brother and sister.

On May 20, 1943, Ernest and Ingram enlisted in the United States Army, serving in World War II as part of the 794th AAA AW Battalion (Automatic Weapons Battalion) in Europe. They were honorably discharged in February 1944 at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Shortly after, on March 21, 1944, Ernest married Mary Louise Jones.

Ernest pursued higher education at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, and David Lipscomb College in Nashville, TN. He dedicated 50 years to ministry, beginning his preaching career in Brevard, NC, continuing in Greenville, SC, and concluding in Spartanburg, SC, where he served as a minister to senior members. Ernest passed away on November 8, 2003, at 79 years old in Woodruff, SC.