NATIONAL NEWS – ‘Mama Dodie’ Osteen, matriarch of Lakewood Church and mother of Joel Osteen, dies at 91

Ananya Roy, News Writer

Dolores “Dodie” Osteen, co-founder of Houston’s Lakewood Church and mother of televangelist Joel Osteen, died peacefully at home this week at age 91, her family announced Wednesday. Known to many as “Mama Dodie,” she was remembered as a pillar of faith and resilience. In 1981, she was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and given weeks to live, but she recovered without chemotherapy or radiation, crediting prayer and her Christian faith. Her survival became central to her ministry, and she later wrote a book titled Healed of Cancer.

“She was the beloved matriarch of Lakewood Church, an inspiration to millions of people around the world, and a faithful servant of God,” Joel Osteen wrote on X. Pastors and church leaders from around the world, including Hillsong’s Brian Houston and 7 Hills Church’s Marcus Mecum, offered condolences and praised her legacy. Joel Osteen, who succeeded his father John Osteen as Lakewood’s senior pastor in 1999, has led the church to become one of the largest in the U.S. Funeral arrangements for Dodie Osteen have not yet been announced.