My wife Joan and I felt as if James and Shirley Dobson belonged to us because they began their ministry the same year that we got married in 1977. We started a family right away, and we relied so much on Dr. Dobson's ideas on faith and family. We loved the Focus on the Family broadcasts on the radio. They were uplifting and informative, and we looked forward to them daily. It gave us great hope and direction. Our children loved "Adventures in Odyssey," and they often acted out the stories and performed plays for us. We deeply trusted Dr. Dobson's heart, and we embraced his guidance and mentorship. We felt as if this ministry was started just for us! We were a military family, and, as our family grew and moved often, we were so grateful that we could take Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family with us wherever we went. We will be forever grateful for Dr. Dobson's amazing life and legacy, and his profound impact on our family and our lives. We offer our deepest sympathy and gratitude to Shirley and the family for sharing her husband and their wonderful father with us and with the rest of the world. Jon & Joan Stapley, San Antonio, TX
PreviousI first started listening to Dr. Dobson in 1982 during our first year of marriage. That year I read his book, "Releasing Your Grown Child." I know this is odd, especially given that it would be seven more years before trying to have our first child, and more than twenty-five years before formally releasing our first of two. Because I recorded and listened to virtually every broadcast, at least until our kids were adults, I suspect few if any men on the planet listened to Dr. Dobson more than I. This daily "contact" made him feel like a father to me. And the positive impact on my family is hard to overestimate. I am confident I was not a "bad" dad, but others will have to judge where I fall on the scale between "above average" and "great." But I am extremely confident that a daily dose of wisdom from Dr. Dobson helped make me a MUCH better dad than I otherwise would have been. I am eternally grateful for his consistent dedication to helping make families stronger and the country a better place. I look forward to personally thanking him when my time on earth is done. Many blessings to his wife, Shirley, children Ryan and Danae, and grandchildren.
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