It is with a heavy heart that we report that we lost a legend and one of our own.  On March 10th, the Lord called Norma Jean “Reverend Mother” Pender home.

Born in Pittsburgh, PA in 1938, Norma Jean came to Detroit in the 1950’s, where she worked for Stinson’s Funeral Home.  In 1997, then-WEXL (now WCHB) on-air host Darryl Ford asked her to join the radio station’s air staff.  Reluctant to do so at first, Ford eventually convinced her, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Reverend Mother ruled the Detroit Gospel Radio airwaves with her signature “You’re in the Spirit with Reverend Mother” from 1997 to 2016, when she suffered a stroke.  But thanks to God, she made a remarkable recovery and continued in an unofficial capacity as WCHB’s ambassador to the larger Christian and Gospel Music communities for years after.

Beginning with singing in church as a child, Norma spend a lifetime in and around Gospel Music and for decades held several roles with the Gospel Music Association, rubbing shoulders with and influencing the careers of many of the greats in Gospel Music.

We love you, Reverend Mother, and we miss you sorely.  May you rest peacefully in the loving arms of Jesus.