As I write this tribute, I have to wipe the tears away. What a wonderful, godly man Dr. Dobson was. His books, broadcasts, and his genuine love for people and our country put him at the top of my list of heroes. He was fearless in the face of a culture that worked at tearing our Christian heritage apart. My daughter, Kendra, and I had the honor of being invited to a gathering in the summer of 2018 at the Family Talk headquarters. We were blessed to meet Dr. Dobson, Shirley, Dr. Clinton, Jenanne Jenkins, and others of the Family Talk family. It was certainly a memorable occasion. Blessings will continue as JDFI will keep Dr. Dobson’s legacy alive for our families in future years. My hope is that I can tune in to Family Talk regularly and hear that familiar voice and so many of his timeless broadcasts. My prayers go up for Shirley, Danae, Ryan, Laura, Lincoln, and Lucy.

Joyce

Thank you will never be enough. The goals of this humble man beyond accomplished . . . a legacy like no other. I began listening to Christian radio in June of 1989, shortly after I surrendered my life to Jesus. One of the first programs to which I was drawn to listen, and have done so to this day, was Focus on the Family. I remember hearing Jim’s voice and being so comforted. Two of the programs that I will never forget are “Tilly” and Jenny Christiansen’s story of her and her husband ‘s surrender to Jesus. I have them tucked away somewhere on cassette tape. Jim took a stand, and he stood. I had 2 young sons and soon a daughter. I think we have all of the cassette albums from the beginning days of Adventures in Odyssey, which we faithfully purchased before summer vacation (3 hours of listening in the car each way; what a lifesaver they were in so many ways). The lessons learned . . . invaluable! Of course, we listened most evenings on the radio before bed. The requests for birthday and Christmas gifts were always Odyssey tapes. I have 7 grandchildren who all now listen on the Odyssey App and have watched some of the videos that their parents enjoyed. Over 1,000 episodes now . . . legacy! I have read all of his books and soaked up the imparted wisdom and hopefully passed on only a small part of God’s love through James Dobson. I know you are in heaven and that He has said “Well done, good and faithful servant! I pray blessings over your wife and family. Focus on the Family will be a continuing testimony of your dedication, integrity, and servant’s heart!

Margaret

When I first became a Christian, and trying to raise my small daughter as a single parent, Dr. Dobson, with his daily broadcast and his books on childrearing, was a godsend to me. My daughter, like so many other children of that era, had every single Odyssey tape available, which she listened to each Saturday morning. I also have been thankful over the years for his insight, as well as that of the guests on his radio programs, regarding our nation. He caused me to love and care about this nation as he did. He has influenced my life and the lives of many others, so very much! His gain is our loss! Praying for his dear wife, Shirley, and Ryan and Danae. You are loved.

Charmaine

It was an absolute pleasure and honor to work for Dr. James Dobson as producer for the daily broadcast in the 1990s. As producers, we had to work hard to send out a professional, top-notch, Christian broadcast. Dr. Dobson, or “Doc” as we affectionately called him, never compromised on his moral stance on issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, and many other moral issues we’re still facing today. Despite criticism from all sides, he never backed down, and he is to be commended for this. His Creator is certainly rewarding him today for being a God-honoring father, strong Christian, cultural influence, and Christ follower. Thank you, Dr. Dobson, for being a pillar in the Christian community and never caving on any of these important issues. You will be missed by millions. You will be missed by me. Blessings to your sweet wife, Shirley, and your children, Ryan and Danae. May your legacy still live on long after you’ve left this earth. See you on the other side!

Heidi

I am a Jewish believer who started listening to FOTF on the radio on my drives to work. When I became a missionary to Colombia in 1986, I continued to read the FOTF magazine and even found Spanish broadcasts. On one of my furloughs home to the US, I worked several weeks as a temporary employee at FOTF’s California HQ. I was impressed that part of the workday even included company devotionals. I got to meet Dr. Dobson during those days. He was already one of my heroes of the faith. I was able to devour many books from the company library during those fulfilling weeks. Then, back to Colombia. Eventually I married a Colombian, and we had a daughter. FOTF sent me the children’s magazines, and Dr. Dobson’s family life books were a real staple for us, especially as we had a strong-willed, incredibly creative child. Thanks to The Strong-Willed Child, we understood how to set boundaries for her and appreciate her strengths, and she is everything the book said she’d be. There were many other books and broadcasts that influenced us. I can tell you that, in the days without internet and emails, and being a missionary and mother in a foreign land, my appreciation for all the materials they supplied us with knows no bounds. Even today, many years later (still in Colombia), people here talk of how important Dr. Dobson’s books were in establishing and raising their families. He will be greatly missed. God help us to honor and carry on his legacy.

Susana

My husband and I got married in 1989 and were having difficulties having a successful pregnancy. I had been listening to Focus on the Family and heard an episode about foster parenting, another episode about adoption, and another episode about homeschooling. Eventually, we did all three – we fostered to adopt. We got a newborn adoption, an international adoption, and, in the middle of all that, I gave birth to one. God gave us five children, and we homeschooled all five of them. Focus on the Family and Dr. James Dobson had a great impact on that happening. We now have five grandchildren with one on the way. We are so blessed. My father passed in April. He is the most significant man named James in my life. One of our grandsons is also named James. With a powerful name, the legacy lives on.

Victoria