Rex Humbard Dies at 88

Televangelist Rex Humbard who for many years was pastor of the Cathedral of Tomorrow has died at age 88:

The Rev. Rex Humbard, a former itinerant preacher whose televangelism ministry in Ohio once reached more parts of the globe than any other religious program, died Friday evening at 9:24 surrounded by his family. He was 88.

Humbard had been seriously ill since late July following surgery at a South Florida hospital to fix a broken hip....

The broadcast, also called "Cathedral of Tomorrow," developed into a mixture of preaching and music, with Humbard's wife, Maude Aimee, an accomplished gospel singer, and the Cathedral Quartet as regular performers. The Humbards' children also performed.

One of Humbard's admirers was Elvis Presley, who often sang gospel music himself. Humbard spoke at his funeral in 1977.

The Cathedral Quartet were favorites of mine and went on to become the top quartet in the country until their retirement at the end of 1999.