Tributes

We invite you to celebrate the life of Dr. James C. Dobson by sharing your thoughts and memories here.

Add A Tribute

This page will display the words of people from around the world who have been impacted by the life and ministry of Dr. James Dobson.

You may also leave your tribute by calling 844-823-2669.

Recent Tributes

I could very well write a book about how Dr. James Dobson changed our lives. My husband and I were married in 1979; we had four children (one set of twins) in five years. We both came from homes with fathers who abused alcohol and the dysfunctional behaviors that go along with that lifestyle. Neither one of us knew what it meant to have a healthy marriage or a happy family. I listened to Dr. Dobson faithfully at home every day. My husband, then a truck driver, listened to the FOTF radio program in his truck almost every day. In the evenings, we would compare notes! Many years later, we now have four grown successful adult children, and we celebrated forty-six years of marriage on April 16th, 2025. I looked to Dr. Dobson for counsel from a dad that neither of us ever had. I attribute any success as a family to both the counsel of Jesus and Dr. Dobson. Thank you, Dr. Dobson, Shirley, and family. There are not enough words to explain our appreciation and our sincere condolence. Geri & Ryan Loss

Geri & Ryan

Dear Dobson family, my family and I have been so blessed by the Focus on the Family ministry. I got married in 1990. I started to listen to Focus on the Family on our local Christian radio station in the Silicon Valley. We were committed to my wife being a stay-at-home mom. I listened every day when I could, and it made such a difference in our marriage and parenting. The shows helped me keep my mind right. The encouragement we received helped us stand strong in an area hostile to Christians and stay-at-home moms. Thank you for all the sacrifices you made as a family so Dr. Dobson could be a blessing to so many. I am reminded of a song from the ’80s called “Thank You for Giving to the Lord.” Please listen to the song; it probably expresses how so many people feel about Dr. Dobson. God bless you all!

Tim

A special thank you to Dr. Dobson’s family, for supporting him, as he supported all of us parents. I thank God for Dr. Dobson. My life, and the life of my family, would be radically different if it were not for him.

Anne

Thank you for your unwavering strength, faith to move mountains, and godly counsel. Your reward in heaven will be amazing for the courage and selflessness you displayed throughout your life. Saying “thank you” isn’t enough; however, I leave it in our heavenly Father’s capable hands to properly reward you.

Angela

How my heart was saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Dobson this week! He has been my hero in the faith for many, many years. As young parents in the 70s, we first were introduced to his wonderful teaching through a film series at our church. I hung on every word! Later his books became so helpful to us as we raised our two daughters who both came to know Jesus as Savior. I read The Strong Willed Child more than once as I prayed for help in guiding but not stifling that strong will in our children. Today our daughters have been a positive force for Jesus in the lives of our five precious grandchildren. Thank you, Dr. Dobson and Shirley, for all the time and sacrifice you and your family have invested in being used by God to help shape the family. We will be forever grateful. I will always remember the kind, compassionate voice I listened to on the radio and how much that inspired and encouraged me in raising my children as well as influencing my grandchildren.

Meritta

Dr. Dobson is one of the heroes of the faith. Through the decades, his voice was kind, compassionate, and trusted. I raised my boys listening to Adventures in Odyssey. I appreciate you, Dr. Dobson!

Valerie

Dr. Dobson’s ministry had a great influence on my life and is the key reason I pursued my master’s degree in psychology with a special emphasis in marriage and family counseling. Our country owes Dr. Dobson a high level of gratitude for his commitment to reaching families with the gospel. He will never be replaced, only emulated. God be with his family.

gregory

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

I spent many hours listening to Dr. Dobson’s common-sense, down-to-earth advice on child rearing. What a blessing! This is a year of great loss for Christians – Dr. Dobson and John MacArthur, great mentors and teachers of our generation. I first read Dare to Discipline before I even married or had children, and it was a breath of fresh air – and now more relevant than ever.

Laura

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

I’m so very thankful for the ministry of Dr. Dobson. I have been blessed many times by Focus on the Family. May God bless Dr. Dobson’s family and give comfort and strength in this time. Thank you.

Rebecca

I loved listening to him speak. His knowledge and wisdom were beyond belief. He will be missed. With all of my love, thank you for allowing God to use you.

David

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

I have listened to Dr. Dobson for years on American Family Radio. Every word has been such a blessing and inspiration to me. I know he loved all and loved his family. I pray the family feels the presence of the Lord.

denna

Dr. James Dobson became my counselor in 1977. My husband and I married in January 1977 and I listened to his programs and followed him from then on. He was there for the trials of marriage and difficulties of family. He was there with child rearing and the challenges of sibling rivalry. He was there when I needed prayer and I could call their hotline and tell them of an immediate need I had like when I found out my son was choosing a homosexual lifestyle. Dr. Dobson was there. He was there when we had a sudden loss in our family and I was reeling and trying to understand how I was to go on. I am so grateful for this ministry and for the man that carved out the niche that ministered to all of us and sought to follow God‘s ideal. Thank you, Shirley, Danae, and Ryan for your sacrificial support of your dad and your husband. He shall be missed by all, but I know that there’s a gaping hole in your family and you are in my prayers. Thank you for sharing him with the world.

Susan

Thank you Dr. Dobson for being a Christian dad that I didn’t have. I had a good, caring dad, but you as my Christian dad was a lot different, and I married a good Christian man. Thank you for being in the place and time God wanted you to be for support. My 33-year-old daughter grew up while we listened to your ministry and is working on being the Christian mom God called her to be. She is reading many of your books and plays the Odyssey series with her girls. I went to college and received my degree in early childhood with a BS. I’m now a teacher. Thank you for your inspiration to many.

Tina

We began listening to Dr. Dobson around 1982 as young parents of three children. Dr. Dobson provided encouragement, counsel, and discipline for our hearts as we endeavored to raise our children in the admonition of the Lord. Once Dr. Raymond Moore was introduced on one of the radio broadcasts, we made the decision to homeschool our children. For the next eight years, we attended homeschool events, read recommended reading lists for homeschooling families, and learned a great deal from those early broadcasts as to how to homeschool and train and teach our children. Homeschooling was a brand new thought in the early 1980s but was a direction that worked well for our children for a number of years. Having the courage to step out into unknown territory was provided by Dr. Dobson and Dr. Moore. Thank you for fighting for the unborn and your unwavering commitment to the helpless and downtrodden of our society. You have provided leadership, you spoke for millions who had no voice, and you never stopped fighting for life. Dr. Dobson’s humility, kindness, leadership, and vision for hurting families have helped countless millions. Our family is just one of those countless numbers of people. We will always feel Dr. Dobson was a part of our family. His books, radio broadcasts, guests, and vision for helping hurting families have made an unmistakable impact on our lives. We are forever grateful for his life and dedication to Jesus. Thank you, Dr. Dobson, for living life so well for us to watch, learn, and listen. You will be sorely and deeply missed.

Keith & Karin