Contact: Brad Abare, 213-989-4225

LOS ANGELES, May 22 /Christian Newswire/ -- The president emeritus of The Foursquare Church, Rolf K. McPherson, passed away at his Los Feliz home on Thursday, May 21, 2009.  He was 96 years old.  He is survived by his wife, Evangeline Carmichael McPherson; his daughter, Alicia McPherson Santacroce; two granddaughters, Heidi Ledesma and Leslie Young; a grandson, Ronald LaRue; a niece, Victoria Salter; a step-daughter, Carol Parks; two step-granddaughters, Amanda Leddy and Acacia Steiner. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Lorna De Smith McPherson; his daughter Marlene McPherson LaRue; and his sister, Roberta Star Semple Salter.

McPherson was the son of church founder Aimee Semple McPherson, and he became president of The Foursquare Church upon his mother's death in 1944, a position he held until 1988. He was also pastor emeritus of Angelus Temple, the church established in Echo Park in 1923. McPherson is credited with lending great stability to the church and seeing it grow into a major Pentecostal denomination with worldwide influence. A memorial service will be held at Angelus Temple.

The Foursquare Church was founded in the 1920s by Aimee Semple McPherson. It currently has approximately 60,000 churches worldwide and ministers in 144 countries. Dr. Jack W. Hayford serves as the current president of the church.

For more information about Rolf K. McPherson and The Foursquare Church, visit www.foursquare.org.