Tammy Faye Messner Passes Away

pek1

New Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2005
Messages
3,991
Reaction score
0
Tammy Faye Messner dies - CNN.com

(CNN) -- Tammy Faye Messner, the former televangelist and Christian singer who battled drug addiction and later inoperable cancer, died Friday morning, according to CNN's Larry King on Saturday night. He said the family had asked him to make the delayed announcement.

She was 65.

"She died peacefully," King said.

Messner was a guest on "Larry King Live" on Thursday. She said she couldn't swallow food, and weighed only 65 pounds.

King asked her Thursday if she were "a little scared?"

She responded, "A little bit," adding that she mainly worried about her family.

She made dramatic appearances on the now-defunct, Christian PTL Network she started with then-husband Jim Bakker, its host. Before millions of viewers, she would often break into tears, prompting her trademark heavy mascara to run.

After divorcing Bakker, who became steeped in money and sex scandals, she married Christian construction magnate and former PTL contractor Roe Messner in 1993. Tammy Faye was married to Bakker more than 30 years.

She underwent surgery for colon cancer in 1996. In 2004, she revealed that the disease had spread to her lungs, and in May 2007 she announced that her doctors had stopped trying to treating the illness.

In her appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live," Tammy Faye Messner was a shadow of her former self.

"I believe when I leave this Earth, because I love the Lord, I am going straight to heaven," she said.

King said she had sought the interview.

She told King she was bedridden most of the time, had trouble swallowing food -- hence the weight loss -- and was in near-constant pain.

But her sense of humor was still intact. On her Web site, she wrote on Monday, "I crave hamburgers and french fries with LOTS of ketchup! When I can eat that again, it will be a day of victory!"

Asked by King what she would most like to be remembered for, Messner replied, "well, my eyelashes." Messner wore heavy makeup -- her lip liner, eyeliner and eyebrows were tattooed on.

Born Tammy Faye LaValley in International Falls, Minnesota, she married Bakker in 1961. From 1966 to 1973, the Bakkers co-hosted "The 700 Club," on the Christian Broadcasting Network, founded by television evangelist and Christian Coalition founder the Rev. Pat Robertson.

They began the PTL Club -- with the initials standing for "Praise The Lord" or "People That Love" -- in 1974 and later expanded it into a television network. At the height of its popularity, PTL was bringing in revenues of more than $128 million annually and was carried on more than 1,300 cable systems with more than 12 million subscribers.

In 1978, the Heritage USA theme park opened at the network's headquarters in Fort Mill, S.C. The Heritage USA Grand Hotel was added in 1984 and a water park in 1986. That year, more than 6 million people visited the park, making it the nation's third most popular attraction after Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

On March 19, 1987, Jim Bakker resigned from the PTL in the face of a scandal involving an affair seven years earlier with Jessica Hahn, a secretary he paid to keep quiet. Hahn received a one-time $115,000 payment and monthly interest payments from a $150,000 trust fund.

The following month, PTL filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Also in 1987, Tammy Faye Bakker was treated at the Betty Ford Center for prescription drug addiction.

And in December 1988, Jim Bakker was indicted for fraud and conspiring to defraud churchgoers of $158 million. Tammy Faye Bakker was not named in the indictment.

In 1989, Heritage USA and the Grand Hotel closed, and Jim Bakker was convicted of 24 counts of fraud and conspiracy and sentenced to 45 years in prison. Tammy Faye Bakker divorced him while he was incarcerated.

Asked in July what she would change in her life if she could, Tammy Faye replied, "I don't think about that, Larry, because that's just a waste of good brain space."

When King suggested that she might want to forget the PTL Club, she said, "I have gotten over that, thank God. That was a terrible, horribly bad experience."

The Bakkers' 30-year-old son, Jay, is a pastor who co-founded the Revolution Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. -- a church aimed at those who feel rejected by traditional approaches to Christianity, claiming on the church's Web site that he wrestled with religion after seeing the "excommunicative" treatment his parents experienced from the church following the scandal.

Tammy Faye has also been known as one of the few evangelical Christians who had the support of the gay community. She was one of the first televangelists to reach out to those with AIDS when it was a little-known and much-feared disease. In return, she told King in July, "When I went -- when we lost everything, it was the gay people that came to my rescue, and I will always love them for that."

She was able to bounce back after the PTL folded. In 1996, she co-hosted the "Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show" with gay actor Jim J. Bullock. In 2000, a documentary based on her life, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. And in 2003, she appeared on the WB network's reality show, "The Surreal Life."

Over her life, Tammy Faye also recorded more than 25 albums and wrote several books. In 1996, she wrote her autobiography, "Telling it My Way." She also wrote "Run to the Roar," a book about overcoming fear, and in 2003 wrote her last book, "I Will Survive, and You Will Too."

Despite her battle with cancer, Tammy Faye told King she kept her Christian faith, instructing her doctors not to tell her how much time they believed she had left. "I don't have any date written on me anywhere that says I'm going to die at any time, and so I just give it to the Lord," she said.

Asked if she had a message for her fans, she replied: "I'd like to say that I genuinely love you, and I genuinely care, and I genuinely want to see you in heaven some day. I want you to find peace. I want you to find joy."


A gaunt Messner was a guest on King's show Wednesday night.

"I'm going straight to heaven," she said in a raspy voice on that show.

My mother listened to PTL while she got ready for work every morning and just loved both Jim and Tammy Faye.

I worked for PTL during the summer of 1987 and Tammy Faye's half brother, Larry, was my boss. He had her eyes. We were cleaning a house one time, the crew I was on, that was owned by PTL across the street from Jim and Tammy's in Tega Cay, SC and how I wish that I had asked Larry if I could have come along with him to meet them.

I have to say that working at Heritage USA was fun, but, at the same time, it was a challenge because of Jerry Falwell and his people. I've never seen or experienced such hatred in my entire life and it has taken me a long time to get over it. What their son, Jay, said, is true about church people. Very sad indeed.

I mentioned in another thread that this show is the first one that has ever mentioned AIDS. This ministry was destroyed because of a number of factors, but, God willing, souls were saved.

I just wanted all of you to know about this, as this has been very close to me and I'll never forget PTL. Never. Thanks, Tammy Faye!!:kiss:
 
Sorry for her Loss.. I do remember her a while back back when Bakker was in trouble... i think.... that was a long time ago.

but


RIP Tammy~!
 
sorry to hear that she passed away.. at least she is not suffering anymore.. RIP, Tammy...
 
I remember when Tammy was on PTL and feel terrible about her long battle with cancer. My mother had pancreatic cancer, so I know from an outsider's point of view how difficult and painful the disease is. May she rest in peace.
 
yeah I saw it on yahoo news.. I was like dang she was well known for her heavy make-up and stuff but it's sad that she died young at 65.. but at least she's in better place now.
 
yeah I saw it on yahoo news.. I was like dang she was well known for her heavy make-up and stuff but it's sad that she died young at 65.. but at least she's in better place now.

What's funny is that I couldn't post this article before writing this thread because I had just received the breaking news from CNN and they didn't have it up yet, either, on their website. Kinda nice to be "in-the-know" before everybody else. :cool:
 
I didnt know much about her ..just only the controversial issues surrounding her. However, I am sorry that she died. Too young at 65 years old!
 
I saw her on Larry King few days ago and I was shocked to see how thin she was and still alive then. I told my husband she should be dead by then and she passed away few days later. RIP
 
I found out this morning on the news. I was stunned. Sorry to hear shes gone. RIP Tammy Faye Messner.
 
I remember her from the crazy church scandals way back in late 80s. May she rest in peace.
 
Yeah, She was well known for that scandal in the 80's. But not only that, She was well known for her outrageous make ups, lol.

Although, I do admire her for fighting against cancer. She's had it since 1996, I believe?

Rest In Peace, Tammy.
 
Well she's gone and she's gone.

She made it clear that she was using religion to boost up her lifestyle and made her then-husband the fall guy for all the inapproriate things that came with their gin.

Basically her makeup wand casted a shadow of the cross, "Open your hearts to god and open your wallets to PTL", is her trademark statement that proves it.

I'm sure she's burning in hell right now.

Richard
 
Well she's gone and she's gone.

She made it clear that she was using religion to boost up her lifestyle and made her then-husband the fall guy for all the inapproriate things that came with their gin.

Basically her makeup wand casted a shadow of the cross, "Open your hearts to god and open your wallets to PTL", is her trademark statement that proves it.

I'm sure she's burning in hell right now.

Richard

How sure are you and how much are you willing to bet?
 
Aww, I am so sorry to see her go that soon! And, yes she weighed only 65 pounds - unbelievable that she was alive at that time for a while before she was called home. I remember her famous " make up " trademark. Lol !

Anyways, I am glad she is at last in peace without pain ( cancer ).

Rest in peace, Tammy Faye Messner ...
 
I can vividly recall the earlier days of when Tammy and Jim started out...and then over the years, amassing wealth which in turn created Heritage, USA. From there, things surely spiraled downwards pretty quick..most people remember these two mainly of the scandal that was discovered, however, there are a few that will remember the many 'good' things that they did, as well as to what Tammy started doing after the demise of their show and Heritage, USA. However, a great many will remember her with her heavy mascara running down her cheeks due to crying her tears out, which then became her 'trademark'.

Therefore, I say: Rest in peace...mascara will either not be needed or will be tear-proof. ;)


To Nesmuth: Lo and behold, are you suddenly a 'judge' of sorts now?? Imo, there is only ONE true Judge--therefore, I cannot say or know at this time where she is--however, I may add that I would like to say that she is where Peace reigns forever. :)



~RR
 
I can vividly recall the earlier days of when Tammy and Jim started out...and then over the years, amassing wealth which in turn created Heritage, USA. From there, things surely spiraled downwards pretty quick..most people remember these two mainly of the scandal that was discovered, however, there are a few that will remember the many 'good' things that they did, as well as to what Tammy started doing after the demise of their show and Heritage, USA. However, a great many will remember her with her heavy mascara running down her cheeks due to crying her tears out, which then became her 'trademark'.

Therefore, I say: Rest in peace...mascara will either not be needed or will be tear-proof. ;)


To Nesmuth: Lo and behold, are you suddenly a 'judge' of sorts now?? Imo, there is only ONE true Judge--therefore, I cannot say or know at this time where she is--however, I may add that I would like to say that she is where Peace reigns forever. :)



~RR


From what I was told while working at PTL, the people (the partners) couldn't get enough of Jim and Tammy and insisted that they (Jim and Tammy) be there, on the grounds, so they can see them, 24-7. That means that J & T were there when people got up in the morning, went to bed at night and, basically, J & T didn't have a life, as the partners expected them to be at PTL all the time. Sure, I'm fond of various people, but I sure as heck wouldn't want them to be around me or vice versa 24-7. The partners demanded this and I believe they are at fault.

As for the tryst that Jim supposedly had . . . I don't believe it ever happened. And, if it did, Jerry Falwell (who was after the satellite network to begin with) and other very well known televangelists wanted Jim out. We all know who the one is, based in Baton Rouge, Lousiana, and the other one goes by the call letters TBN. It is very sad.
 
i found out about her death while i was in minnesota last week oh well

RIP~tammy
 
Back
Top