How many children did John and Dodie Osteen have? All about Lakewood Church Matriarch and Joel Osteen’s mom as she dies at 91
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Dodie Osteen with her daughter April (Image via YouTube/April Osteen Simons)Texas-based pastor and author Joel Osteen’s mother, Dolores “Dodie” Osteen has passed away at the age of 91. Dodie was the wife of John Osteen, who founded the Lakewood Church in Texas in 1959.
Married in 1954, John and Dodie Osteen had five children - Paul, Lisa, Tamara, Joel, and April. The entire family was involved in the non-denominational Lakewood Church, with John as the leader of one of the largest congregations in the United States. After John passed away in 1999, Joel took over the church’s leadership, becoming the Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church.
The news of Dodie’s death was broken by her son Joel, who took to Instagram to announce:
“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.”
Continuing, Joel spoke about the importance of his mother in the Lakewood Church, a non-denominational Christian church founded by his father and Dodie’s husband, Pastor John Osteen in 1959. About Dodie’s influence on the church, Joel wrote,
“She was the beloved matriarch of Lakewood Church, an inspiration to millions of people around the world, and a faithful servant of God. Known as ‘Mama Dodie’ to the entire Lakewood family, together, we celebrate her amazing life and lasting legacy.”
Sharing the cause of Dodie’s death, Joel wrote,
“She passed of natural causes, peacefully at her home. She was 91 years old.”
About Dodie Osteen’s family life
Dodie Osteen was a nurse by profession and met John Osteen while working at a hospital, according to her memoir published in 2016, If My Heart Could Talk, notes South Coast Today. Dodie had a limp throughout her life, as a result of contracting polio after she fell through a rotting board as a child.
Alongside her husband, Dodie also devoted her life to god and serving the congregation. In an excerpt from her memoir, she noted that all of her children serve in the ministry. As per South Coast Today, Dodie wrote,
“Over the years people have often referred to me as Pastor John Osteen’s wife … now many refer to me as Joel Osteen’s mother. But I’m just Dodie, a lady who loves God and people; and the mother of five wonderful children who all happen to be in full time ministry.”
One of John and Dodie Osteen’s sons, Paul is a vascular surgeon who also volunteers as a missionary in many parts of African, bringing surgical care to remote regions and leads the Mobilizing Medical Missions (M3) Conference. As per the conference’s website, Paul was motivated by his faith in his mission:
"I stepped out of my comfort zone to obey what I felt like God had placed in my heart and amazing things began to happen.”
Meanwhile, Joel, who currently leads Lakewood Church, created the John Osteen television program and is instrumental in expanding the reach of the church to 200 million households in the country via broadcast. Joel is also a successful author, who has written books such as Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day and more.
Lisa Osteen Comes, Dodie’s eldest daughter teaches the Bible and is an Associate pastor at Lakewood Church. In her memoir, Dodie recounts that Lisa became the victim of a small bomb in 1990 targeting her father, John, when she opened a package containing an explosive. Although the bomb did not function properly, she suffered injuries to her leg and abdomen, according to South Coast Today.
Dodie’s daughter, Tamara married James Graff, with whom she shares four children, notes Oldest.org. The couple work together as pastors. Tamara’s sister, April Osteen Simons is an author and motivational speaker who regularly posts self-help videos to her YouTube channel.
Dodie, who was diagnosed with metastic cancer in the liver in 1981 and given a few weeks to live at the time, recounted in her memoir that she was able to beat the disease with her faith and by praying for a miracle. As per South Coast Today, she wrote in her memoir,
“I knew that only a miracle would heal me. So I posted photos of myself by my bed and on the fridge of when I was healthy, on my wedding day and on a horse vacationing.”
Dodie wrote in her book that Joel often points towards her during his sermons to demonstrate how faith saved his mother, who was actively serving the congregation decades after being told she would likely die of cancer.
TOPICS: Dodie Osteen, Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church