UPDATE
9:39 PT — Oprah just released a touching tribute to her late father — a video from the July 4th party she threw for him featuring a gospel singer friend Wintley Phippshand on Vernon’s shoulder as he prayed that God would be with Vernon “as he walks into the light.”
UPDATE
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UPDATE
She captioned the video “Vernon Winfrey 1933-2022” … adding that her father “FELT the love and reveled in it until he couldn’t speak anymore. Yesterday, with family around the on his bed, I had the sacred honor of witnessing the man responsible for my life, take his last breath. We could hear Peace enter the room as he passed.”
Oprah is mourning the death of his father, Vernon Winfreywho has died after battling cancer.
One of Vernon’s longtime employees confirmed to TMZ that he died Friday night in East Nashville, TN. First a local councilman gave the news on Nashville’s WKRN.
In what now appears to be a prescient move, Oprah was just in town last weekend to celebrate her father.
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He surprised him by hosting a Vernon Winfrey Appreciation Day on the 4th of July…giving the community an opportunity to thank Vernon for his service as a former city councilman and longtime local businessman.
As Oprah said, “My dad is sick, so we wanted all of his friends to come and celebrate him while he can get the joy. So that’s what we’re doing.”
Vernon was sitting, fittingly, in a barber’s chair in the middle of the backyard barbecue…while his friends and family celebrated him.
He had owned and operated Winfrey Barber & Beauty Shop for over 50 years, and was loved by the community. One of their employees told us: “[Vernon] I’d give you the shirt off my back.”
Vernon’s daughter was not shy about how proud she was of him, and has long celebrated his achievements.
When she had her daily talk show, Oprah took her cameras back to visit her father at his establishment.
Before Monday’s celebration, it was obvious how excited he was to plan the event.
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Oprah said she was “getting back to my Nashville roots” as she posted several videos and photos of family members getting ready for the barbecue.
You may remember…his mother, Vernita Lee, he died in 2018 at the age of 83.
Speaking about her father earlier this week, Oprah said she wanted to make sure to give him her flowers while he was still here, and she couldn’t have done it any better.
Vernon was 88 years old.
REST IN PEACE
Originally Posted — 9:09 AM PT
