Reverend Robert H. Schuller passed away at a nursing facility in California today after a long battle with cancer. He was 88 years old. Schuller – one of the first “televangelists” to bring the church experience to at-home audiences – is best known for launching the “Hour of Power” sermon series in the early ’70s. Schuller also helped build the 2700-seat Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California in 1981. He retired as senior minister there in 1981, and his daughter is now the head of the church. Schuller’s death was announced by his daughter-in-law, who issued a statement saying, “My father-in-law passed away peacefully early this morning. He was a great Dad and a great man of God.” Born in an Iowa farmhouse with no running water, Schuller moved to California shortly after starting a family of his own. There, he started his career in the ministry by renting out a drive-in movie theater and preaching from the roof of the snack bar. His unique brand of preaching focused more on encouragement than on condemnation, and he eventually gained a following of millions, as even non-believers tuned in to his sermons in search of inspiration. Schuller eventually became so famous for his sermons that celebrities such as Muhammad Ali have approached him and asked him for his autograph. Click on the gallery below for a full list of the celebrities we’ve lost in 2015. Celebrities We Lost in 2015 1. Stuart Scott View Photo ESPN’s Stuart Scott (1965-2015) will forever be missed. The beloved anchor and personality passed away after a long battle with cancer in January at the age of 49. 2. Donna Douglas View Attachment Donna Douglas of the Beverly Hillbillies passed away in early 2015. She was 81 years old. 3. Mario Cuomo View Photo Mario Cuomo has passed away at the age of 82. He was New York’s Governor from 1983-1994. 4. Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle View Attachment Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle, both U.S. ski team prospects, have been killed in an avalanche. R.I.P. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 5. Andrae Crouch View Photo Andrae Crouch has died at the age of 72. The gospel music great passed away in January 2015. 6. Rod Taylor View Attachment Actor Rod Taylor (Time Machine, The Birds) died at the age of 84 in January. 7. Taylor Negron View Attachment Taylor Negron, a comic and actor is perhaps best known for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, died at the age of 57. 8. Anita Ekberg View Attachment La Dolce Vita actress Anita Ekberg has passed away at the age of 83. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 9. Kim Fowley View Photo Kim Fowley has passed away. The producer and one of the legendary names in punk music was 75. 10. Greg Plitt Greg Plitt was a Bravo reality star. He was 37 years old when he was struck by a train in Burbank, California. 11. ASAP Yams View Photo ASAP Yams died at the age of 26. The Harlem native played/producer a key role in creating hip hop artists from that area of New York. 12. John Sundahl John Sundahl, a former boyfriend of Britney Spears, has been killed. He was shot down in a helicopter in Afghanistan. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 13. Dallas Taylor View Attachment Dallas Taylor, the drummer for Crosby, Stills & Nash, has passed away at the age of 66 in January 2015. 14. Darren Shahlavi View Photo Darren Shahlavi is seen here on the NBC drama Constantine. The actor sadly passed away in early 2015. 15. Violetta Degtiareva View Photo Violetta Degtiareva suddently died of heart failure January 12. The Russian tennis star was just 23 years old. 16. Monty Oum View Photo Monty Oum, an animator best known for his work with Rooster Teeth, has died at the age of just 33. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 17. Kayla Mueller View Video U.S. aid worker Kayla Mueller was confirmed dead at the hands of ISIS in February. R.I.P. 18. Dean Smith Dean Smith retired from coaching in 1997 as the winningest coach in college basketball history. He passed away at the age of 83 in February of 2015. 19. Bob Simon The Emmy-winning reporter was killed in a NYC car accident in February. 20. David Carr View Photo David Carr, a popular columnist for the New York Times, died February 12 after collapsing in the newsroom. He was 58. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 21. Lesley Gore View Photo Lesley Gore passed away today at the age of 68. She is best remembered for her song “It’s My Party.” 22. Lorena Rojas Rest in peace, Lorena Rojas. This Mexican soap opera star lost her long battle with cancer in February. 23. Jerome Kersey Jerome Kersey, a 17-year NBA power forward, passed away at the age of 52 in February. 24. Betty Lou Motes View Attachment Betty Lou Motes, the beloved mother of Julia Roberts, died at the age of 80 in February. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 25. Harris Wittels Rest in peace, Harris Wittels. The comedian and TV producer died from a likely drug overdose at the age of 30. 26. Ahmad Givens View Photo Ahmad Givens was better known to VH1 fans as “Real.” He died of colon cancer in February of 2015. 27. Ben Woolf View Photo Ben Woolf appears here on American Horror Story: Freak Show. The actor passed away at the age of 34. 28. Ariel Camacho Ariel Camacho, a Mexican singer/songwriter, was only 22 years old when he was killed in a car accident. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 29. Anthony Mason View Attachment Former New York Knicks star Anthony Mason passed away in February at the age of 48. 30. Charmayne Maxwell View Photo Charmayne Maxwell was a Grammy-nominated singer who tragically died at the age of 46. According to report, she passed away from wounds suffered after accidently cutting herself at home. 31. Sam Simon View Photo Sam Simon is best-known for helping to create The Simpsons. He passed away from colon cancer st age 59. 32. Windell D. Middlebrooks Windell D. Middlebrooks died suddenly at the young age of 36. Yup, he’s the Miller High Life guy! Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 33. Andy Fraser View Attachment Bassist and songwriter Andy Fraser of the rock band Free (“All Right Now”) died at the age of 62. 34. Lisa Colagrossi View Photo Lisa Colagrossi has passed away after suffering a brain hemorrhage on the job. The veteran NYC news reporter was just 49 years old. 35. Alberta Watson View Photo Alberta Watson has died. The veteran actress perhaps best known for her role on 24 was 60 years old. 36. Lil Chris Rest in peace, Lil Chris. The former reality star and British pop star died suddenly at the age of 24. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 37. Gary Dahl View Attachment Gary Dahl, the inventor of the pet rock, died in early 2015 at the age of 78. 38. Cynthia Lennon View Photo Cynthia Lennon was the first wife of Beatles legend John Lennon. She passed away April 1, after battling cancer. 39. Robert Schuller View Photo Reverend Robert Schuller passed away today at age 88. He is best known for helping to start the televangelist movement. The End. Up Next: ” Celebrities We Lost in 2015 .” We’ll be redirecting you shortly…
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Robert Schuller Dies; Famed Televangelist Was 88
