Obituaries

"The lack of money is the root of all evil." Truer words were never spoken, and those words were spoken by the flamboyant Reverend Ike, who has died. Ike, whose real name was Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, was 74

He never recovered from a stroke suffered in 2007.

His critics saw the donations as the entire point of his ministry, calling him a con man misleading his flock. His defenders, while acknowledging his love of luxury, argued that his church had roots both in the traditions of African-American evangelism and in the philosophies of mind over matter.

Whether legitimately or not, the money flooded in, making him a multimillionaire and enabling him to flaunt the power of his creed with a show of sumptuous clothes, ostentatious jewelry, luxurious residences and exotic automobiles. “My garages runneth over,” he said.

If he was a con man, he never hid it. I will always give him credit.

I used to listen to his radio program often in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

"You Deserve the Best":