She died at the age of 87 on March 11, 2026. Until her death, she was still preaching the gospel and reaching out to souls. For Doris Hokett, old age could not take away her passion for missions. About three years ago, she was at the 19th anniversary of Inheritors Christian Missions International in Ota, Ogun State, where she made a renewed commitment to missions. She asked the congregation for prayer and gave the APPS acronym as a guide for those prayers.
It was such an illuminating session and a joy to know that APPS could translate into a prayer guide: A represents anointing, P represents protection, the other P for provision, while the S represents strength. When you remember APPS, you are reminded of what to pray for.
That Sunday at the event, she rolled out plans for how she was going to visit a number of countries preaching the gospel despite her frail condition. At that time, she was a widow. Her husband, who served on the mission fields of Africa with her for 54 years, died in 2011. His passing did not discourage her from continuing in the mission.
With remarkable strength and dependence on God, she carried on alone, returning to the nations, building churches, and ministering tirelessly. Even in her later years, she traveled and ministered in 12 to 14 countries annually. She carried that banner until she breathed her last on March 11, 2026, at the age of 87. Indeed, her life was a shining light.
A Foundation of Faith
Born and raised in a Christian home in Texas, Doris Hokett gave her life to Christ at a young age and soon recognized a clear calling to serve as a missionary in Africa. That calling became the foundation of a life fully surrendered to God.
As a teenager, Doris met her future husband, Arthur Hokett, at a church youth meeting. When they both confirmed their call to become missionaries in Africa, they recognized in each other a shared purpose and a lifelong partner in service to God. They were later married in 1957, beginning a ministry partnership that would span nearly 54 years.
Following their marriage, they attended Bible College together and went on to pastor a church in Texas for four years while waiting on God’s appointed time to step into full-time missionary work in Africa. Together, they served as missionaries in Africa for over 52 years, traveling extensively and preaching the Gospel across more than 40 countries in Africa, Europe, and Asia, including significant ministry work in Nigeria, Ghana, and India.
A Legacy in Africa
Their work was especially impactful in Nigeria and northern Ghana, particularly in Walewale, where they lived and ministered for many years. There, they helped establish and support a growing network of churches, eventually reaching at least 46 churches, with a shared vision to see 50 churches built. Dr. Doris lived to see that vision surpassed, as they helped build a total of 152 churches before she passed to glory.
Their ministry was marked by countless testimonies of God’s power—the blind receiving sight, the sick healed, the barren conceiving, and many delivered from oppression. They ministered in large gatherings, small village meetings, and personal encounters, reaching thousands upon thousands of people with the message of Jesus Christ.
One of the most personal testimonies to God’s faithfulness in her life was the birth of their only son, Jeff Hokett, after 12 years of marriage. This miracle became a lasting testimony of God’s faithfulness and a source of encouragement to many families trusting God for children.
An Enduring Impact
An author of at least 16 books, she documented testimonies, teachings, and stories of God’s faithfulness, ensuring that her voice and message would continue to impact lives for generations. Dr. Doris Hokett’s life was one of complete obedience. She went wherever God sent her—by plane, bus, train, boat, or foot—reaching both multitudes and individuals with the same passion.
Her legacy lives on in the thousands of lives transformed, the churches established, and the many spiritual sons and daughters she raised across the nations. She has now laid down her cross, received her crown, and been welcomed into glory by the very Lord she served so faithfully—reunited with the love she carried in her heart for a lifetime.
Tributes and Testimonies
Abiodun Akinwale, a staff member at the University of South Africa, said he was a beneficiary of the ministry of the late missionary and her husband. He recalled:
”I met them during one of their visits to South Africa in November 2007 at RCCG Mount Zion. They laid hands on me and made a prophetic declaration of job placement. The next year, February 2008, I started working at the University of South Africa and have been there to this date. I give God all the glory. Rest in perfect peace.”
Kemi Carter was full of appreciation to God for the life of Doris Hokett. She wrote:
”Thank you so much, ma’am, for heeding the call and for touching so many lives, including mine. You now have your much-deserved rest. You will be missed; our loss is heaven’s gain.”
Evelyn Yeye Dada believed she and her husband impacted the world greatly. She stated:
”We love you, we cherish you, we deeply appreciate you, and we THANK the LORD for letting our paths cross.”
Dr. Mrs. Nike Akindayo, who oversees Inheritors Christian Missions International, described the Hoketts as a great blessing to Africa and that they were the ones who inaugurated ICMI during the ministry’s one year anniversary.
She recalled that the relationship with the Hoketts started about 30 years ago at the Christ Family Evangelical Mission.
They practically adopted us and have been a critical part of our lives in ministry and crucial life decisions.
My son and his fiance had to go and meet with Mama in Texas last August before they got married in September.
Mama was a great part of our lives and ministry.
We looked forward to her visits in October during our ministry’s anniversary. We cherish her prayers for every member of the church and our family.’
Note: this tribute is largely sourced from memorial service with an update of Dr Hokett’s outing in the last three years
