Oprah Winfrey’s Father Dies at Age 89

Oprah's Dad
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Oprah Winfrey has announced that her father, Vernon Winfrey died after a bout with cancer. He was 89 years old.

Oprah Winfrey has announced that her father, Vernon Winfrey died after a bout with cancer. He was 89 years old.

The mogul revealed the tragedy both on her Instagram page and Oprah Daily website. She mentioned heading down to Nashville, Tennessee, where he lived over the Fourth of July weekend, dubbing it the “Vernon Winfrey Appreciation Celebration.”

“Less than a week ago we honored my father in his own backyard. My friend and gospel singer Wintley Phipps saluted him with song. He FELT the love and reveled in it until he could no longer speak. Yesterday with family surrounding his bedside, I had the sacred honor of witnessing the man responsible for my life, take his last breath. We could feel Peace enter the room at his passing,” the media mogul wrote on Instagram.

Vernon served on Nashville’s city council.

Oprah further commemorated her dad with this message on her website: "If it were not for him, I doubt that anybody in the world would know my name.” going on to share how important father figures can be. "I know firsthand how the trajectory of life can change by the positive influence of a good father," she wrote. 

Oprah’s mother, Vernita Lee, died in 2018.

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