Tammy Fay Bakker Messner has died

*Raph's Girl* · 07-21-2007, 09:24 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070722/...aye_death_dc_2

Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, the televangelist who helped lead the PTL ministry before its collapse in a sex and corruption scandal, has died at age 65, her Web site reported on Saturday.

Messner died on Friday after a long battle with cancer, CNN said. CNN's Larry King, who interviewed Messner on his "Larry King Live" talk show on Thursday night, said her family had asked him to make the delayed announcement of her death.

"She died peacefully," King said on CNN's Web site.

"I believe when I leave this Earth because I love the Lord, I am going straight to Heaven," Messner told King in the interview.

On May 8, Messner posted a message on her Web site, www.tammyfaye.com, saying she had withered to 65 pounds (30 kg) and that doctors had decided to stop treatment, leaving her fate "up to God and my faith."

Messner was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1996 and announced in 2004 it had spread.

With her former husband Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye became a household name in America through the PTL organization ("Praise The Lord" or "People That Love") that he founded in 1974.

Their television evangelical empire brought in close to $130 million annually at its height in the 1980s and reached 13 million homes daily.

Tammy Faye was a fixture of her first husband's ministry, her heavy mascara running riot as she tearfully beseeched TV viewers to open their hearts to Jesus and their wallets to PTL. The ministry's empire included Heritage USA, a Christian theme park in South Carolina.

Finance and sex scandals brought it all crashing down after the Internal Revenue Service started investigating whether the Bakkers were illegally using their tax-exempt ministry to pay for an opulent lifestyle that mushroomed to include several homes, servants, luxury cars, jewels, furs and an air-conditioned doghouse.

*VaughnMichael* · 07-21-2007, 09:41 PM

why has this not been on the news!! They'd rather talk about paris hilton types I guess.
I really loved her she was such a sweet woman even with all thats gone down in her life.
I'll really miss seeing her crazy makeup on tv.

*Drtooth* · 07-22-2007, 09:56 AM

I don't know how to feel... it IS tragic that she died.... but on the other hand, she was pretty much caught up in a scandal involving the ultraconservative religious zealots I have real issues with.

But then again, a frail person dying a slow agonizing death is no laughing matter whatsoever. So it is tragic, and i won't say anything further about that subject.

I did like how she played MiMi's mother on the Drew Carey show....

*Buslady* · 07-22-2007, 01:37 PM

Death is always a sad event, but her life wasn't exactly honest and wonderfu.

granpa died of colon cancer, it's notta pretty thing. Interesting she was diagnosed around when granpa was but he died 5 years ago this coming october; he was older though. She held out pretty well. Poor thing looked like hell in that last photo taken a few days ago on Larry King Live.

mattmanw54301 · 07-22-2007, 01:56 PM

I think that she was a woman of God. Like the rest of us, she is not perfect. I think tho that she has genuinely tried to live for the Lord in the last few years of her life. Her ex husband Jim, however, is a whole different story....

*Spike Spiegel* · 07-26-2007, 01:54 PM

My mom and I both thought that it was very brave of her to appear on TV in that condition...she looked like a zombie.

She, like all of us, was a flawed person...I hope she was ready to meet her Maker.

07-21-2007, 09:24 PM	#1
Raph's Girl Dierna Soul, Reporter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jakku Posts: 10,831	Tammy Fay Bakker Messner has died http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070722/...aye_death_dc_2 Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, the televangelist who helped lead the PTL ministry before its collapse in a sex and corruption scandal, has died at age 65, her Web site reported on Saturday. Messner died on Friday after a long battle with cancer, CNN said. CNN's Larry King, who interviewed Messner on his "Larry King Live" talk show on Thursday night, said her family had asked him to make the delayed announcement of her death. "She died peacefully," King said on CNN's Web site. "I believe when I leave this Earth because I love the Lord, I am going straight to Heaven," Messner told King in the interview. On May 8, Messner posted a message on her Web site, www.tammyfaye.com, saying she had withered to 65 pounds (30 kg) and that doctors had decided to stop treatment, leaving her fate "up to God and my faith." Messner was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1996 and announced in 2004 it had spread. With her former husband Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye became a household name in America through the PTL organization ("Praise The Lord" or "People That Love") that he founded in 1974. Their television evangelical empire brought in close to $130 million annually at its height in the 1980s and reached 13 million homes daily. Tammy Faye was a fixture of her first husband's ministry, her heavy mascara running riot as she tearfully beseeched TV viewers to open their hearts to Jesus and their wallets to PTL. The ministry's empire included Heritage USA, a Christian theme park in South Carolina. Finance and sex scandals brought it all crashing down after the Internal Revenue Service started investigating whether the Bakkers were illegally using their tax-exempt ministry to pay for an opulent lifestyle that mushroomed to include several homes, servants, luxury cars, jewels, furs and an air-conditioned doghouse. __________________

07-22-2007, 09:56 AM	#3
Drtooth Foot Elite Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 4,439	I don't know how to feel... it IS tragic that she died.... but on the other hand, she was pretty much caught up in a scandal involving the ultraconservative religious zealots I have real issues with. But then again, a frail person dying a slow agonizing death is no laughing matter whatsoever. So it is tragic, and i won't say anything further about that subject. I did like how she played MiMi's mother on the Drew Carey show.... __________________ [Insert mildly amusing banner here]

07-22-2007, 01:37 PM	#4
Buslady WingsOfDarkness! Perkele! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: In 7803... Posts: 4,366	Death is always a sad event, but her life wasn't exactly honest and wonderfu. granpa died of colon cancer, it's notta pretty thing. Interesting she was diagnosed around when granpa was but he died 5 years ago this coming october; he was older though. She held out pretty well. Poor thing looked like hell in that last photo taken a few days ago on Larry King Live. __________________

07-21-2007, 09:41 PM	#2
VaughnMichael I'm Baaaaaaccck! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 11,833	why has this not been on the news!! They'd rather talk about paris hilton types I guess. I really loved her she was such a sweet woman even with all thats gone down in her life. I'll really miss seeing her crazy makeup on tv.

07-22-2007, 01:56 PM	#5
mattmanw54301 Foot Soldier Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 182	I think that she was a woman of God. Like the rest of us, she is not perfect. I think tho that she has genuinely tried to live for the Lord in the last few years of her life. Her ex husband Jim, however, is a whole different story....