September 30, 2021
Dr. Thelma Witherspoon has spent her life dedicated to three things: faith, family, and community. Originally from Atlantic City, Witherspoon now resides in Hamilton Township with her daughter and four grandsons, ranging in age from 8-119.
Witherspoon’s earliest roots are grounded in community. “In 1976, my parents started a church, and seeing them work with all types of people and show up for their community taught me to do the same,” shared Witherspoon. “I learned all of that from the church.”
Witherspoon served as Atlantic City Board of Education President and Vice President.
During the time period that Witherspoon served on the Board of Education, much was accomplished. The school district broke ground on two schools, New York Avenue and Sovereign Avenue. The Board of Education additionally enclosed the classrooms of the Uptown Complex and the Martin Luther King Jr. Complex, and completed the expansion of the Chelsea Heights addition.
“I started out as president of the Parent Action Council of the New Jersey Avenue School,” Witherspoon said. “I learned the process and after many years of volunteering and advocating on the behalf of parents, I knew if I wanted to affect change I needed to become a school board member. So I ran for office. It was a rewarding and challenging experience.”
Witherspoon worked for the City of Atlantic City for 35 years. Twenty of those years were in the Department of Revenue and Finance, where she worked in the grants and budgeting unit of the Atlantic City Police Department. This was yet another experience that Witherspoon said taught her how to serve the public.
However, Witherspoon says what has shaped her the most is her faith. Her parents, Bishop Luke and Pastor Juanita Witherspoon, founded Westminster Evangelistic Church, now the Westminster Christian Worship Center, more than 45 years ago. In 2020, Witherspoon was ordained as Pastor.
Witherspoon earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biblical Theology from Jameson Bible School and the International Christian University, respectively, and her Honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree from the CICA International University.
You may also recognize Witherspoon from her long-standing radio show “In The Community with Dr. Thelma Witherspoon” at the local Gospel station WEHA-FM.
Witherspoon also served as Vice President of the NAACP Atlantic City Chapter and Atlantic County Committee Person-At-Large of Hamilton Township. She is also Commissioner of the Historic Preservation Commission in Hamilton Township and is a 2015 graduate of LEAD ACT (Lead Atlantic City Tomorrow) , a former leadership program sponsored by Stockton University.
In a recent run for Atlantic County Commissioner, Witherspoon defeated Andrew Parker by a narrow 286 votes in the November 2020 general election. However, those results were invalidated by Superior Court Judge Joseph Marczyk after learning that County Clerk Ed McGettigan mailed the incorrect ballot to 544 voters in Hamilton Township.
Atlantic County Democrats sought to seat Witherspoon on an interim basis, since another Democrat, Ashley Bennett, was the last winner of the seat. However, that movement was denied. The seat will remain vacant until voters make their choice once again in the November 2nd special election for county commissioner in Distrist 3.
