Obit: Former Fisk First Lady Dr. Eunice W. Ponder Passes Away

Eunice W. Ponder, Ed.D. departed this life at 96 on September 20, 2025 . She was predeceased by her grandparents, parents, and brothers, Austin Jackson Wilson, Jr., and Freeman Wilson. She is survived by her husband of 73 years, Henry Ponder, Ph.D,,  their daughters, Edna Cheryl and Anna Katheryn, and their Norfolk Terrier, Pearl. Her gardening tradition and Harvest Dinners will continue through her daughters – ensuring that such traditions as cleaning and cooking chitterlings do not become a lost art, and that her recipes for collard greens and candied yams will remain appreciated. She was a Golden Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; a Platinum Member of The Links, Incorporated; and a member of the The Order of the Eastern Star (OES).

Eunice W. Ponder, Ed.D., known for her life of service with her beloved husband, Dr. Henry Ponder, spent more than six decades working diligently at the forefront and behind the scenes to increase educational opportunities for generations of young men and women of color across the United States of America.  In addition, Dr. Eunice W. Ponder was a public-school teacher,  university professor and administrator. She was the First Lady of four prestigious African American Colleges: Benedict College (1973-1984), Fisk University (1984-1994), Talladega College (2001-2004), and Langston University (2010-2012).

She was born Eunice Betty Jean Wilson in Kansas City, Missouri on September 4, 1929. She was the third of three children born to Kate (Jackson) and Austin Wilson, Sr.  At fourteen months, Eunice Betty Jean Wilson was tragically orphaned,  and raised by her grandparents, Mary Alice (Trotter) and Roman Freeman Wilson on an 80-acre family farm in Goodnight, Oklahoma that she later inherited.

Eunice Betty Jean Wilson enrolled at Langston University in the fall of 1947, where she found herself an  “accidental” lab partner to a classmate named Henry Ponder. He fondly remembered her as a very pretty girl with

long braids wearing a red coat. When they attended the regional meeting of the 4-H Club at the ages of nine and ten Henry told his classmates: “See that girl, Eunice Wilson. I’m gonna marry her one day”.   When he saw her again, he wasted no time. After finding out from their Freshman Chemistry professor how lab partners were chosen he pulled a stool across the floor to ensure that he was seated beside her (she was not amused). He constantly asked her out until she finally said: “ok.”  A serious young woman with no time for “foolishness,” she was perhaps more surprised than anyone that she would laugh and find unbridled joy with this tall, gregarious, handsome young man for the next 78 years.

During her college days, Eunice majored in Business Education and was a proud member of the Beta Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. After graduating in May 1951, she worked as a public school teacher in Hominy, Oklahoma,  then in Beggs (Okmulgee County),  Oklahoma. That was closer to Boley, where Henry worked as a Farm Superintendent. They married on November 22, 1952. Shortly afterwards Henry was drafted to serve overseas during the Korean War. A funny story: he finished second in his training class and had his pick of assignments. He was all set for paratrooper school until he shared the news with his bride. A week later, when the paratrooper test scores were returned, commanding officers were shocked to learn Henry had failed. This news, however, came as no surprise to Eunice.  She was formidable – an iron fist in a velvet glove. Reunited after the war, the young couple continued their dreams for educational advancement, earning master’s degrees from Oklahoma State University in 1958. They departed for Petersburg, Virginia, where they worked at Virginia State College (now Virginia State University).

Mr. Ponder earned a Ph.D. at The Ohio State University, then served in increasing roles at Virginia State, Fort Valley State College (now University), and Alabama A&M College (now University) while

Eunice – a fearsome mama bear – followed her young daughters to school, keeping close watch over them in a newly-integrated Huntsville, Alabama, public school system.  She convinced the principal of Colonial Hills Elementary that he needed a “school nurse.” She trained with the American Red Cross, got a lab coat, cleared a large broom closet, and set up shop. Nothing escaped her notice, and all children were equally cared for and made secure.

She also became president of the PTA, sewed dance recital costumes, served as Girl Scout Cookie Mom, and hosted dinner parties to further her husband’s career.

She cooked every morsel and arranged every flower, wearing elegant hostess gowns, and living the mantra: “Everyone who comes to our home, should want to come back.” They did.

In 1973, Henry Ponder was inaugurated president of Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. As First Lady, Eunice cultivated community relationships, serving on nonprofit boards and joining advocacy

groups. She did something else as well; she earned a well-deserved honor as one of Columbia’s “Ten Best Dressed.” Always elegant in a dress or suit and heels, she also returned to school and work. She

earned the Ed.D. in Higher Education from the University of South Carolina in 1981. She first became a Development administrator, then later a Business Management professor at Benedict College.

When she was not working, Mrs. Ponder loved gardening. She was born to nurture – with both the will and capacity to make anything thrive. In Columbia, she had a very large garden – immaculately organized

and cultivated. She grew everything, and everything she touched grew. The president’s residence, Antisdel House, was at the college’s back gate – across the street from a public housing project, Allen-

Benedict Court. Neighbors, faculty, staff, and students frequently walked over to admire her vegetables and fruit – everything from corn to watermelons. She happily chatted with them about gardening,

healthy cooking, and life in general. Then she would get a grocery bag and clippers, which she kept nearby, and ask what looked good to them. She sent many happy neighbors home with fresh food and

recipes. It was genuine grace that naturally flowed from her.

She had an even larger garden in Nashville, Tennessee, at Fisk University, where she became First Lady in 1984. During her years in Nashville, she would teach Business Management at the university, serve on numerous nonprofit boards, and enjoy social organizations like The Fleur de Lis Bridge Club and The Links, Incorporated. She hosted an annual Ponder Harvest Dinner (PHD) on Christmas Eve that grew from one dining table to many through the years.

Eunice retired in 1991 – a status she enjoyed thoroughly when she and Henry moved to Washington, DC, in 1994. In DC, she finally traded Charles Jourdans for Converses, and enjoyed walking through Georgetown with her beloved Scottish Terrier, GoGo. They were always present for the “Blessing of the Animals” at St. John’s

Episcopal Church – one of her favorite events of the year.

In 1997, Mrs. Ponder faced one of her greatest challenges: breast cancer. For the rest of her life, she was a quiet advocate, friend, cheerleader, and support system for others grappling with the disease. In 2001, she cultivated tomatoes and herbs on her  DC apartment terrace and  later got back to serious gardening  when she became First Lady of Talladega College.  Small town life agreed with Eunice, who seemingly knew all 15,000 Talladega residents. In 2004, she returned to South Carolina, where she and Henry retired (briefly) on Hilton Head Island. She enjoyed volunteering at The Bargain Box, singing in the choir at St. James Baptist Church, and riding her tricycle around the neighborhood with GoGo sitting in the basket.

In 2010, Mrs. Eunice Ponder and Dr. Henry Ponder returned to their alma mater, Langston University, and she became First Lady, gardener, and tricyclist-in-chief. She later returned to Hilton Head for good in 2012. Shortly thereafter she was diagnosed with dementia and enrolled in programs at Memory Matters, where she was an enthusiastic participant for more than six years. She loved the arts and crafts, music, and particularly dancing. Many remember how Dr. Ponder would come on dance party days, and they danced and laughed for as long as the music played. She made great friends at Memory Matters, then at Vineyard Bluffton, where she entered Memory care in April 2025.