Joel Osteen is mourning the death of his mother.
The 62-year-old televangelist announced his mom’s death via Instagram on Wednesday, July 30, alongside a photo of the two of them smiling. Speaking on behalf of himself and wife Victoria Osteen, Joel wrote:
“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,” he penned.
“She was the beloved matriarch of Lakewood Church, an inspiration to millions of people around the world, and a faithful servant of God,” the preacher continued. “Known as ‘Mama Dodie’ to the entire Lakewood family, together, we celebrate her amazing life and lasting legacy. She passed of natural causes, peacefully at her home. She was 91 years old.”
The photo Joel posted shows the mother-son duo showing off their trademark megawatt smiles, with Dolores holding a red rose in her hand.
Dolores and late husband John Osteen, Joel’s father, co-founded Lakewood Church, the Houston megachurch where Joel — following in his fathers’ footsteps — has been preaching for decades. The couple famously hosted their own television show, named after the Osteen patriarch, for 16 years before John’s death in 1999.
Dolores’ death comes a year and a half after Lakewood was rocked by tragedy when a 36-year-old woman opened fire in the church before being swiftly shot and killed by police in self-defense. It was an incident that wounded both a male patron and the woman’s 7-year-old son, who was shot in the head, per CNN. Both the man and the child survived.