Lois Evans, wife of Pastor Tony Evans, has died

Lois Evans, wife of megachurch Pastor Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, died Monday following her second battle with cancer. She was 70. The Evans family announced Lois’ diagnosis of gallbladder cancer in April. Her husband and their four children were present when she died. She is survived by 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

“This gracious lady will be remembered by millions of friends and admirers for her kind spirit, her warm smile, and for her enormous contribution to the cause of Christ,” James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, and his wife, Shirley, said in a statement.

Who was Lois Evans? She focused on helping the wives of church leaders, founding the Pastors’ Wives Ministry and the First Lady Conference. In 1982, she and her husband co-founded The Urban Alternative, a ministry with a Christian radio broadcast that reached more than 100 countries.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read about Tony Evans and Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship.