On Saturday the legacy of William Henderson Cheek Sr. will be honored as Highway 158 at Second Street between Highway 301 and Country Club Road is named the Bishop William H. Cheek Sr. Highway.

The ceremony honoring the founder of the Evangelistic Church of Deliverance will begin at 2 p.m. at the church located at 195 Sycamore Street in Weldon.

“William Henderson Cheek, who died in 2017 at the age of 95, is being honored for his work in ministry, education and community service in his native Halifax County,” the state Department of Transportation said. “In 1969, he began (the) Evangelistic Church of Deliverance, which helped to revitalize downtown Weldon and enrich and empower the lives of many people.”

Known as Bishop Cheek, the department said he accumulated numerous accolades in his lifetime, including the Halifax Community College African American Hero Award in 2013 and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2014.

 

The naming of the highway in his honor comes at the request of the Halifax County Board of Commissioners. The North Carolina Board of Transportation last year approved a resolution dedicating the stretch of road in his honor.

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After studying auto bodywork in Maryland and serving in the United States Army, Cheek married his wife of 70 years, Lucille Parker Cheek.

He received theological training at Shaw University and returned to eastern North Carolina in 1962 to start his own church and founded the Evangelistic Church of Deliverance in Weldon.

The resolution approved by the county board of commissioners describes the bishop as a respected member of the community who was held in high regard for his contributions.

In addition to being honored by the college and the state, he received the Outstanding Service Award from the Weldon Halifax Community Center in 2005.

Cheek was the father of seven children, had 34 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, and 10 great-great grandchildren. “It is abundantly fitting and proper that the members of this body show their gratitude for this public servant by dedicating a road in his memory.”

Cheek’s family and their nonprofit WLC Foundation have organized the program which include speakers as Weldon Mayor Hugh Credle and board of commissioners Chair Vernon Bryant. Melvin Mitchell, the Division 4 member of the transportation board, will participate in the ceremony.

“The WLC Foundation is pleased to announce a special highway naming ceremony to honor a great man for his tremendous work in ministry, education, and community service,” the foundation said. “His dedication to uplifting and empowering others through his work and community outreach has left a lasting impact on all those who have had the pleasure of knowing him. The ceremony will be a fitting tribute to this esteemed individual, celebrating his legacy and accomplishments.”

For more information, contact the WLC Foundation at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.