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FURY


Tammy Faye Messner dies at 65
She had battled colon cancer since 1996

By Steve Hartsoe | The Associated Press
9:42 PM EDT, July 21, 2007
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RALEIGH, N.C. - Tammy Faye Messner, who as Tammy Faye Bakker helped her husband, Jim, build a multimillion-dollar evangelism empire and then saw it collapse in disgrace, has died. She was 65.

Messner, who had battled colon cancer since 1996 that more recently spread to her lungs, died at her home Friday, said her booking agent, Joe Spotts. A family service was held Saturday in a private cemetery, where her ashes were interred, he said.

She had frequently spoken about her medical problems, saying she hoped to be an inspiration to others. "Don't let fear rule your life," she said. "Live one day at a time, and never be afraid." But she told well-wishers in a note on her Web site in May that the doctors had stopped trying to treat the cancer.



In an interview with CNN's Larry King two months later, an emaciated Messner -- still using her trademark makeup -- said, "I believe when I leave this earth, because I love the Lord, I'm going straight to heaven." Asked if she had any regrets, Messner said: "I don't think about it, Larry, because it's a waste of good brain space."

For many, the TV image of then-Mrs. Bakker forgiving husband Jim's infidelities, tears streaking her cheeks with mascara, became a symbol for the wages of greed and hypocrisy in 1980s America.

She divorced her husband of 30 years in 1992 while he was in prison for defrauding millions from followers of their PTL television ministries. The letters stood for "Praise the Lord" or "People that Love."

Her second husband also served time in prison. She married Roe Messner, who had been the chief builder of the Bakkers' Heritage USA Christian theme park near Fort Mill, S.C., in 1993. In 1995, he was convicted of bankruptcy fraud, and he spent about two years in prison.

Through it all, Messner kept plugging her faith and herself. She did concerts, a short-lived secular TV talk show and an inspirational videotape. In 2004, she cooperated in the making of a documentary about her struggle with cancer, called "Tammy Faye: Death Defying."

"I wanted to help people ... maybe show the inside (of the experience) and make it a little less frightening," she said.

That same year, she appeared on the WB reality show "The Surreal Life," co-starring with former rapper Vanilla Ice, ex-porn star Ron Jeremy and others. She told King in 2004 that she didn't know who Jeremy was when they met and they became friends.

Messner was never charged with a crime in connection with the Bakker scandal. She said she counted the costs in other ways.

"I know what it's like to hit rock bottom," she said in promotional material for her 1996 video "You Can Make It."

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Copyright © 2007, The Associated Press



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Sad ending. Hope she found peace.








emoticon edit
[Edited 7/21/07 19:06pm]

I hope she rests in peace
[Edited 7/21/07 19:05pm]

That's too bad. Saw her on TV the other day...she looked awful! I hope she will now have peace!

Damn. RIP.

Damn, I just saw that Larry King interview. She will be in my prayers



Smooches;)

Didn't she hate gays or something?
And Ironically, she died looking like a drag queen.
I watched her on the Surreal life and she seemed like a cool chick.
RIP.

a former employee of mine just passed last week from cancer. i went to see her in hospice th eday before she passed away. she was so small and frail, her body had quit on her and she was like a husk of the loving person i knew. she was cremated and her memorial service was this past wednesday, which would have been her 64th birthday.
so even though i wasn't a big tammy faye fan, i can't but help feel emapthy for her.

2ndRevolution said:

My View from the Jeep
My take on life's highway from the driver's seat, one mile at a time

According to her website, Tammy Faye Bakker Messier, a longtime supporter of gays and gay rights, is no longer receiving medical treatment for her cancer. As she writes, it's now "up to God and my faith. And that's enough!"
In 1996, Tammy Faye was diagnosed with colon cancer. Then just three years ago, she found out it had returned, this time in her lungs. Now, apparently, prolonged treatment won't do any good.

If a miracle can happen to anyone, I believe it can happen to her. In an opinion I share with many others, she is a good, decent God-fearing person who was surrounded by greedy crooks. Maybe she was ignorant of everything that revolved around the PTL scandal and the conviction of her ex-husband, Jim Bakker -- or maybe she wasn't. But I used to watch the show when I was younger (it was usually the only thing on television at midnight before the days of cable), and Tammy Faye seemed genuinely full of love and God. Outwardly, I would snicker when she turned on the waterworks and her spider-like eyelashes would coagulate. But inside, I felt like she actually cared about what she was saying. She seemed, even back then, to be altruistic and deeply faithful.

So take a moment and think of her, even pray for her if you will. Because I believe at one time or another, she prayed for all of us. And she probably continues to do so.
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2ndRevolution said:

That's inaccurate and rude being that she just died. She was a christian, so she didn't agree with homosexuality, but she hated no one.


That was very rude


Smooches;)

So sad

Fury said:

Oh, thanks for clearing that up. I forget where I heard she wasn't too fond of gay people.

MsMisha319 said:

Oh, just so you know, I'm a gay christian. Yes we exist and God loves us too.
But I'm not turning this into a P&R thread so

2ndRevolution said:

no prob. you learn something new on the Org everyday

Fury said:

Yep, whether it's learning that someone hasn't tasted their own sperm to the length of someone else's anus, you're gonna learn something on here

all the best on the other side.

2ndRevolution said:

and once armed with that knowledge, you will conquer many people, Grasshoppa

WHAT!! Tammy Faye is gone... I just saw her on Larry King... sleep well Tammy Faye

I admired her relentless positivity.

2ndRevolution said:

Yes, lets not go there



Smooches;)

2ndRevolution said:

She had a strangely huge gay following and she loved her gay fans.


But that aside, I hope she found peace. That's not how I would have wanted to go.

She was so brave to go on television and say her last good-byes. May she rest in peace.

God Bless, Tammy!

God bless her. May she rest in peace.

I loved her even more after I saw THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE. Wow what a positive soul.

rest in peace mamma.


M

I'll admit, I was far from her biggest fan back in the day. But as the years went on, she ended up being one cool chick.


RIP

RIP