Eva Ponder McGough made her heavenly transition on March 16, 2017 after a brief and unexpected illness. She was 83 years young.
Eva surrendered her life to Christ as a young girl and was baptized at the Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Wewoka. She maintained her walk with Christ at Calvary Baptist Church in Spokane, Washington where she sang in the choir. Her faith continued to grow while in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the Evangelistic Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend T. J. Roberts who had been her pastor in her home church in Wewoka. When she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1971 she united with Bethel Baptist Church under Reverend I. W. Wilson. In 1974, she became a founding member of True Love Missionary Baptist Church, with the late Reverend I. W. Wilson, where she faithfully remained until God carried her to the Eternal Place of Worship.
Eva attended Johnson Elementary and went on to Douglass High School in Wewoka, Oklahoma where she was promoted to the ninth grade with eight “A’s” out of the 11 subjects she took. She was a majorette while at Douglass. One of her high school classmates shared with her sons that, “Eva, was the prettiest girl that came out of Wewoka, Oklahoma.” She attended Langston University located in Langston, Oklahoma for two years.
Cherishing her memory are her two sons who are ministers, R. Kevin Free (Olga), Flower Mound, Texas and K. Gerone Free (Velva Fuller-Free), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; one daughter, Robyn L. McGough, of the home; one foster son, Felipe Rodriquez of Las Vegas, Nevada; five grandchildren, Kevin Gerone, Kevin Eric, Melissa Eva, Erika Alexis, and Joel Harold; five great-grandchildren, John, Khari, Ciarra, Brianna, and Kaylen; one brother, Dr. Henry Ponder, one brother-in-law, four sisters-in-law and a host of other nephews, nieces, God-children, relatives and friends.
Eva is the mother of R. Kevin Free, who is son of the late Ellis Alford, Grandson of George and Bernice Alford; G/Grandson of Wesley Dow Alford; and G/G/Grandson of Matthew Solomon Alford.
Sunrise: November 4, 1933 – Sunset: March 16, 2017
Homegoing Services were held Saturday, March 25, 2017 at True Love Missionary Baptist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was interned at Palm Mortuary Eastern also in Las Vegas, Nevada.