Jan Crouch, TBN and Holy Land Experience cofounder, dies

JAN CROUCH | Jan"s Return Visit to TBN | PART 1 of 2

Jan Crouch, the pink-haired televangelist who helped found Trinity Broadcasting Network, which owns the Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, has died, according to her son.

• Jan Crouch was cofounder of Trinity Broadcasting Network
• She suffered "significant" stroke last week
• TBN owns Holy Land Experience religious theme park in Orlando

The Christian television network tweeted the news of her death Tuesday morning. Crouch had been taken to an Orlando-area hospital after suffering a "significant" stroke Wednesday, it said.

"Laurie and I have just watched the transition of our precious Mother from this world to the next; watched her step into the presence of Jesus and into her heavenly reward. Jan Crouch, known around the world as Momma Jan, has gone home," her son, Matt Crouch, said in a statement on he and his wife"s official website.

According to a released obituary, Crouch, whose full name is Janice Wendell Bethany Crouch, passed away after a short illness at the age of 78.

Crouch met her husband, Paul, while in college, then both served in pastoral ministry. In the 1960s, the pair headed to California and became trailblazers in Christian television, launching TBN. The network grew into what"s called the world"s largest Christian TV network, and the Crouches became international sensations.

In 2007, Jan Crouch and her husband took over the failing Holy Land Experience, nestled along I-4 by Conroy Road, and turned it into an Orlando mainstay.

The religious theme park, which opened in February 2001, is required to offer one free day per year in order to qualify for property tax exemptions as a religious entity. The late-February free day often fills the park.

The California-based TBN, which owns the park, saves about $300,000 each year in Orange County tax exemptions.

However, TBN wasn"t without its controversies, drawing criticism over its prosperity gospel and investigations into its finances.

Paul Crouch died ofdegenerative heart disease in 2013.

Jan Crouch was known as "Momma Jan." (Trinity Broadcasting Network)

Source: http://www.mynews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2016/5/31/jan_crouch_dead_trinity_broadcasting_holy_land.html?cmpid%3Dbluebar