James Dobson was an American evangelical Christian author and psychologist. He was best known as the founder of Focus on the Family (FotF), which he led from 1977 until 2010. He died on 21 August 2025 at the age of 89.Â
Wife, Children & Parents
As per the media records, he was married to Shirley Deere on August 26, 1960. He had a son named Ryan Dobson and a daughter named Danae Dobson.
In 2009, he handed over the management of some of Focus on the Family’s magazines for young readers to his son, Ryan Dobson.
His daughter, Danae Dobson, received a special golden key necklace from him when she was just ten years old, as a symbol of her promise to stay committed to purity.
He was born to his parents. His father’s name was Mr. James C. Dobson Sr., and his mother’s name was Mrs. Myrtle Georgia. There are no updates about his siblings.
Death Reason & Age
According to Google News & social media reports, he died on 21st August 2025 at his home in Colorado Springs. He was 89 years old when he died. His cause of death is not disclosed by the family.
Early Life & Educational Details
His real name was James Clayton Dobson Jr. He was born on 21 April 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. By profession, he was an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist.
From a very young age, faith was an important part of his life. He came from a long family line of pastors in the Church of the Nazarene, including his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
During his teenage years, he went through a rebellious phase, but later he grew much closer to his father and built a strong bond with him.
He studied psychology and felt that his purpose was to guide people as a Christian counselor or psychologist. For his undergraduate studies, he went to Pasadena College, which is now known as Point Loma Nazarene University.
He finished his degree in 1958, spent six months serving in the National Guard, and then started working at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
Later, in 1967, he earned his doctorate in psychology from the University of Southern California.
Net Worth, Ethnicity & Religion
According to the reports, his net worth was approximately $ 4 billion from all of his income sources as of 2024. He had an American White Ethnicity. He follows the Christian religion.
Career Details
In 1967, he started working as an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, a position he held for 14 years.
Along with that, he spent 17 years at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, serving in the Division of Child Development and Medical Genetics.
With support from a Christian publisher, he later began sharing his ideas through radio programs and public talks. In 1977, he started Focus on the Family. By 1995, the group’s yearly budget had grown to over $100 million.
He left his role as president and CEO in 2003 and later stepped down as chairman in 2009. In 2004, he also created the Family Policy Alliance, which worked as the political branch of his organization.
In 2010, he started the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, a non-profit that runs his radio show, Family Talk.
In 2022, he stepped back from leading the group and chose Joe Waresak as the new president. Even now, Dobson continues to host his radio program.
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