Falwell cancelled 2005 OKC appearance

Evangelist Jerry Falwell passed away today at age 73.

In Nov. 2005, he cancelled a scheduled Oklahoma City appearance at the Oklahoma Pastor's Conference.

At the time, Duke Westover, Falwell's executive assistant, said the cancellation was due to Falwell's Gulfstream jet being down for maintenance at his headquarters in Lynchburg, Va.

"We have a turboprop aircraft that we use as a backup, but we can't fly it very far west of the Mississippi because Rev. Falwell's doctor won't let him fly that long," Westover said.

Falwell's announced appearance at the conference sparked controversy among some Oklahoma City-area Baptist churches including Edmond's Henderson Hills congregation.

"That was 90 percent relief that we wouldn't have to take extra security measures for Rev. Falwell's appearance," Pastor Jeff Wilson, an elder and education pastor at HHBC, said. "We didn't have to worry about protestors showing up, and we didn't have to expend extra income on security."

Wilson admitted that the other 10 percent had to do with Falwell's controversial reputation.

"Not everyone likes Falwell," Wilson said. "Some controversy would have spilled over and we were concerned. We were hopeful Falwell's appearance wouldn't have an effect on our public image. We had nothing to do with the program, and we agreed to host the conference long before any speakers were picked."