Doris Marie Brougham, founder of the Overseas Radio & Television (ORTV) / Studio Classroom and an American missionary, passed away at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Tamsui, Taiwan, on August 6 at the age of 98.
The Studio Classroom website announced that this is Brougham's "final dismissal," and she specifically requested in her will: "Donate everything."
In 1962, Doris Brougham founded the Studio Classroom, and in 1963, she established the Heavenly Melody Choir. She dedicated her life to teaching English and spreading the Gospel through music. The ORTV/Studio Classroom funeral committee will soon decide on the details of the "Doris Brougham Memorial Concert" and stated that the concert will follow her wishes. She always enjoyed lively events and wanted people to attend her concert with joy, knowing she is now in heaven with Jesus and her family.
Biography of Doris Brougham
Arriving in China Amidst War
Born in Seattle, USA, in 1926, Doris Brougham decided to become a missionary to China at the age of 12. She gave up a scholarship to the New York School of Music, left her parents and hometown, sacrificed her love life, a high-paying job, and a comfortable lifestyle, risking her own safety. In 1948, during the height of the Chinese Civil War, she arrived in Shanghai and later moved to Taiwan. At just 22 years old, she continued to spread the Gospel even while fleeing the war.
Serving God throughout her life through English education and Gospel music ministry
After arriving in Taiwan in 1951, she chose to serve the indigenous people in Hualien, where missionaries were urgently needed. She settled in Meilun, Hualien, taught music at Yu-Shan Theological College, founded a small church, and started a Sunday school with only nine children. Doris learned basic indigenous languages to connect with the locals, who gave her the name Libeckdoman, meaning "lily of the valley." Riding her bicycle around Hualien, she discovered that every household had a radio, which inspired her to use media for evangelism. She also saw the need for English education in Taiwan, which struggled to communicate with international personnel post-World War II. This motivated her to promote English education to help Taiwan connect with the world.
Doris Brougham's English education programs were extensive. She launched various magazines like "Studio Classroom," "Let's Talk in English," and "Studio Classroom" for different English proficiency levels, becoming essential resources for English learners in the Chinese-speaking world. She also adapted to technological advancements with radio, television, internet, and digital media, earning multiple Golden Bell Awards from the Ministry of Culture.
In 1963, she founded the Heavenly Melody Choir, the first Christian music group in Taiwan, which spread the Gospel across 36 countries on five continents. Doris connected not only the education, music, and church communities but also linked Taiwan with the world. She always humbly stated that she was simply responding to God's call. She said, "Without love, prestigious degrees and teaching methods are in vain."
