Evangelist’s wife dies after injury

Lindsay Sandham

Evelyn Roberts, wife of evangelist Oral Roberts, died Wednesday at

Hoag Hospital, a day after falling and suffering a head injury. She

was 88.

Evelyn Roberts was on her way to a doctor’s appointment in Newport

Beach on Tuesday when she slipped and fell in the parking lot. She

was taken to Hoag at 1:25 p.m., went into a coma, and died at 4:15

p.m. Wednesday

Kathy Bates of Newport Beach was close with the Robertses and said

Evelyn Roberts was like a mother to her.

“I grew up watching them on TV as a child,” she said.

The Robertses were referred to Bates’ husband’s orthodontics

practice to be treated for TMJ, a disorder characterized by faulty

temporomandibular joints -- which are located in front of the ears --

and facial pain and ringing of the ears.

Bates said she frequently visited with the couple in their home

and cooked for them.

Born on April 22, 1917, Evelyn Roberts celebrated her 88th

birthday two weeks ago, and Bates spent the day with her. She said

that Evelyn Roberts told her, on her birthday, that she was ready to

leave this world.

“She couldn’t say your name without calling you honey,” Bates

said. “I lost someone very dear to my heart. What a kind soul. She

will be truly, truly missed.”

Evelyn Roberts wrote several books, including a best-selling

autobiography, “His Darling Wife, Evelyn.”

Evelyn Roberts is survived by her husband of 66 years; her son and

daughter-in-law, Richard and Lindsay Roberts; her daughter and

son-in-law, Roberta and Ronald Potts; 13 grandchildren; several

great-grandchildren; sisters Kathleen Green and Bettye Hamblin; and

brothers George, J.D. and Paul Fahnestock.

Before her death, Roberts requested that in lieu of flowers,

friends could remember her by contributing to the Evelyn Roberts

Memorial Scholarship Fund, which benefits students at Oral Roberts

University in Tulsa, Okla.

“All we have is a cheerleader in heaven,” Bates said. “An angel

cheerleader.”