Beverly LaHaye, founder of CWA, dies at 94

Beverly LaHaye died Sunday, April 14 at the age of 94.

She founded and lead the influential women’s organization Concerned Women for America, considered  “the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization.”

“Mrs. LaHaye championed the forgotten women of this country, whose voices were not being heard in Washington and in the culture,” Penny Nance, CEO and president of CWA, said in a statement. “Her life is a testament to the impact one woman with a vision and mission can have on the course of history.”

LaHaye founded CWA in 1979 in response to because of what she considered an increasingly radicalized feminist movement of the time that she believed did not speak for the majority of American women.

LaHaye, who was married to the late pastor Tim LaHaye, initially jumped into the debate over the Equal Rights Amendment, helping lead the opposition to it as well as advocating for the life of the unborn. From that point, CWA grew into a leading national organization that soon came to be a political force in Washington, D.C., and around the country.

“Mrs. LaHaye championed the forgotten women of this country, whose voices were not being heard in Washington and in the culture,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President of CWA. “Her life is a testament to the impact one woman with a vision and mission can have on the course of history.”

Mrs. LaHaye led CWA to speak out on the protection of marriage, support for Israel, and other key issues. She added a legal defense department and legislative team to CWA’s growing involvement as opportunities arose to be a voice on behalf of women and men embattled in the courts and key issues on Capitol Hill.  LaHaye testified before Congress on multiple occasions against abortion and policies that dismantle the family and Christian values.  She spoke on behalf of Supreme Court justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia in their confirmation hearings. She worked closely with presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush as well as Members of Congress over the years.

“It is hard to imagine a woman who has had a greater impact on our culture than our founder,” said Nance. “We are forever grateful for her vision, her wisdom, and her spiritural leadership. A tenacious woman of God, her legacy will live on and be cherished by the organization she founded and the millions of people she has touched.”

Mrs. LaHaye was married to evangelical pastor Dr. Tim LaHaye for 69 years before his passing in 2016. She was the mother of four, grandmother of nine, and great-grandmother of 20.  Mrs. LaHaye served in many ministries and wrote or co-wrote more than 30 books.

–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice