Judge rules in faith-healing family feud

CINCINNATI — The children of a hit country music songwriter lost their attempt Wednesday to take over management of his estate from their evangelist aunt, whom they accuse of promising to cure their father’s throat cancer through prayer before he died.

Darrell “Wayne” Perry’s four children had asked a judge to remove their aunt, Darlene Bishop, as executor of the estate and replace her with one of Perry’s sons.

Perry’s heirs alleged that Bishop had taken money intended for them, including payment from a $260,000 insurance policy, and had failed to disburse Perry’s assets as he had intended.

Butler County Probate Judge Randy Rogers said he found no grounds for removing Bishop, who has a worldwide ministry and is co-pastor of the Solid Rock megachurch just north of Cincinnati.

Perry, whose songs included Tim McGraw’s “Not a Moment Too Soon,” Toby Keith’s “A Woman’s Touch” and Lorrie Morgan’s hit, “What Part Of No,” died of throat cancer in 2005 at age 55.

He had moved from Nashville, Tenn., to Monroe, about 25 miles north of Cincinnati, to live with his sister in 2003, after learning he had cancer.

His children alleged that Bishop told Perry that she cured herself of breast cancer through prayer and that she could cure his cancer the same way.

A wrongful death suit filed by Perry’s children is pending in Butler County Common Pleas Court.

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