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Who was Susan Alamo?
Susan Alamo was the co-founder of the Alamo Christian Foundation, a controversial religious cult that preached anti-Catholic, anti-gay, and anti-government messages. She was born Edith Opal Horn in Alma, Arkansas, in 1925, and had a turbulent life before she met Tony Alamo, a former pop singer and con artist, in Hollywood in the 1960s. They married in 1966 and changed their names to Susan and Tony Alamo, claiming to have converted to Christianity. They started their ministry in 1969, attracting followers with their charismatic preaching and lavish lifestyle. They also operated several businesses, including a denim jacket company that was popular among celebrities
How did Susan Alamo die?
Susan Alamo died of breast cancer on April 8, 1982, at the City of Faith Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was 56 years old. According to her stepdaughter, Christhiaon Coie, Susan had been diagnosed with cancer in 1979, but refused to seek medical treatment, believing that God would heal her. She also refused to let Tony see her in her final days, as she was ashamed of her appearance
What happened after Susan Alamo’s death?
After Susan Alamo’s death, Tony Alamo claimed that she was not really dead, but in a state of suspended animation. He ordered his followers to pray for her resurrection, and kept her body in a refrigerated crypt in the cult’s compound in Dyer, Arkansas. He also continued to use her name and voice in his radio broadcasts, claiming that she was still alive and speaking to him
In 1988, six years after Susan’s death, her body was stolen from the crypt by a group of former cult members, who said they wanted to give her a proper burial. They were arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, but the charges were later dropped. The body was eventually buried in a cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1991
What is the legacy of Susan Alamo?
Susan Alamo is remembered as a complex and controversial figure, who was both a victim and a perpetrator of abuse and manipulation. She was a charismatic leader, who inspired many people to join her cult, but also a ruthless exploiter, who controlled and coerced her followers. She was a devoted wife, who loved Tony Alamo, but also a neglected spouse, who suffered from his infidelity and violence. She was a faithful believer, who trusted God, but also a false prophet, who distorted the Bible and deceived her followers
Susan Alamo’s cause of death was a tragic end to a troubled life. Her story is a cautionary tale of the dangers of cults and the power of delusion
