William Raymond Cephus

William “Googus” Raymond Cephus departed this life on
October 16, 2024, at the Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at
the age of 79. He was born November 12, 1944, to the late William
O. and Annie M. Cephus. He attended Moton School in Easton and
graduated with the class of 1964. After graduation, he worked as
a clerk at Safeway grocery store and later transferred to a grocery
store in Delaware. After retirement, Googus worked part time at
Bargain Beverage gas station in Denton. Throughout the years,
he kept in touch with many of his classmates and often attended
their gatherings until his health failed. He was married to the late
Patricia Cephus, who passed in 2018, and would often share with
his family his memories of their vacations in far away places and
his love for her.
Googus loved preaching, gospel music, and loved hearing his
late sister, Vivian, sing. After her death, he would get tears in
his eyes whenever a hymn that she led was sung by the choir. The
former pastor, Willey E. Garrison and Googus maintained a good
relationship throughout the years, and he had considered going to
South Carolina after the passing of his wife. William shared with a
cousin that he was asked to be on the deacon board at Union, but he
said that he did not receive a calling to do that. However, he would
support the church in every way both financially and spiritually. He
worked with the officers and some members to establish the church
constitution in 2003. He did as much as he could possible to assist
others. For several months, he traveled to and from St. Michaels to
pick up a handicapped member who was forced to move there. The
member had no transportation. Each Sunday morning, William
would pick him up to attend morning service. Googus loved
baseball, football, and McDonald’s frozen coke. You would often
see him near the McDonald’s parking lot enjoying a frozen coke. He
played baseball with the black league in Easton and he tried out in
Florida for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
William had one child by his first marriage, Pauline Cephus Person,
whom he adored. However, Paula passed in 2021. His niece, Anna,
moved back to Easton and took on the role of the daughter and did
all that she was physically able to do to care for him.
In addition to his parents, wife, and daughter, William was
preceded in death by his siblings, Vivian Stanford, Rosalie, Alex,
and Barbara Cephus; niece, Denise Cephus; and cousins, Bonita
Bell and Ellice Roberts, to whom he was very close.

Googus leaves to cherish his memory: a grandson, TaShawn Cephus of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
a niece, Anna Sampson of Easton, Maryland; a host of great-nephews, Jason Boyd of Atlanta,
Georgia, Desmond Sampson and his wife Theresa of Odenton, Maryland, and Donald Sampson
and his wife, Latisha of Indian Head, Maryland; great-great-nephews, Rashard Sampson of
Odenton, Maryland, Kristain Sampson of Atlanta, Georgia, and Desmond Dispo Sampson
of Seattle, Washington; Godchild, Jedaya Jenkins; cousins, James and Russell Jenkins, Nadia
Caldwell, Sharon Truxon, James, and Renee Pierce, and Anna May Brooks; and a host of cousins.

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