Contact:
Robby Larson
Multnomah University
rlarson@multnomah.edu
Direct: 503-251-6464
Esteemed Alumnus Dr. Luis Palau Passes
Beloved Evangelist and Author Battled Cancer and Passes at 86 Years of Age
Portland, Ore. – March 2021 – An esteemed Multnomah graduate, Luis Palau ‘61, author of nearly 50 books, world-renowned evangelist, leader of the Luis Palau Association (LPA), member of various international ministry boards including 24 years on Multnomah’s board, and friend of the university died on March 11, 2021, after a prolonged battle with lung cancer. He is survived by his wife, Pat Palau ‘61, his four sons (Kevin, Keith, Andrew ‘95, Stephen) and their spouses, and his 12 grandchildren.
Born in 1934 in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Palau came to the United States in 1960 to Portland, Oregon to study in the graduate program at what was then known as Multnomah School of the Bible (later known as Multnomah Bible College and Seminary until its present-day status as Multnomah University).
In 1962, Palau marked his first steps in his calling by becoming the Spanish translator for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and within two years he had started a Spanish language radio show heard by 22 million people along with beginning his writing career. In the six decades since beginning his ministry, he has personally preached to over 30 million people through various crusades and festivals while the LPA has reached hundreds of millions worldwide. All of this was done while his nearly fifty book titles have reached countless millions more. He stayed faithful to preaching the biblical gospel in multiple languages to anyone who would hear, lived a life devoted to the humble glorification of Christ, and is counted as a credit to anyone who shares in his alumni status and history at Multnomah University.
President of Multnomah University, Dr. Craig Williford, expressed “Our Multnomah community sends their love and support to the Palau family as they celebrate the contribution that Luis made in their lives and in the kingdom of God. We will miss Luis’ wonderful, encouraging spirit and wise counsel. So many people continue to discover the saving grace of Christ through Luis’ many years of sharing the good news of Christ. Goodbye Luis until we see you again at Christ’s return.”
Remembering and Responding
● Luis and Pat Palau have been the Honorary Campaign Co-Chairs of the As God Leads Campaign. Any desires to honor Luis Palau may be directed there.
● As part of the campaign, the Palaus also established the Palau Evangelism Endowed Scholarship to increase scholarship support for students pursuing a degree and vocational calling in global evangelism.
● If you have further questions on this, please contact Robby Larson, VP of Advancement at rlarson@multnomah.edu or 503-251-6464.
Memorial Service Information
The Palau family invites friends and community members to celebrate Luis’ life this Saturday, March 20, at 2 p.m. (PDT). The private memorial service will be live-streamed on the Luis Palau Facebook page and on his memorial website (see links below). As was the goal of his life, Luis’ desire was that his memorial would point people to Jesus. The memorial will be a time to worship and glorify the King of Heaven.
To watch the memorial, visit facebook.com/luispalaulive or luispalau.org.
About Multnomah University
Founded in 1936, Multnomah University is a private non-denominational Christian university in Portland, Oregon. The university consists of a college, seminary, graduate school, and online distance-learning program, the university offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, as well as professional certifications and endorsements.