Mrs. Dolores Osteen, co-founder of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, and fondly known as “Mama Dodie”, has died at the age of 91.
Her son, renowned televangelist Joel Osteen, announced her passing in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, stating that she died of natural causes.
“It is with a heavy heart that Victoria and I, along with our family, announce the passing of our cherished mother and grandmother, Dolores ‘Dodie’ Osteen,” he wrote.
Mrs. Osteen, widely admired for her faith and resilience, co-founded Lakewood Church alongside her late husband, John Osteen, in 1959. Over the decades, the church has grown into one of the largest congregations in the United States.
Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in a statement on Thursday night, expressed sadness over her passing. He described Mrs. Osteen as a “remarkable woman of deep faith and resilience”, noting that her legacy would endure through the continued impact of Lakewood Church and the countless lives she inspired with her kindness and devotion.
