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Former Nashville Councilman Vernon Winfrey, Oprah's father, dies at 89

This undated photo of Oprah and Vernon Winfrey appeared on Opray's Twitter page as part of her announcement of her father's passing last week.
Opray Winfrey
This undated photo of Oprah and Vernon Winfrey appeared on Opray's Twitter page as part of her announcement of her father's passing last week.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Oprah Winfrey’s father, Vernon Winfrey, has died at the age of 89. Oprah confirmed in an Instagram post that her father died in Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday.

Details about funeral plans were not immediately released.

Earlier this week, Oprah surprised her father by throwing him a surprise barbeque in Nashville on the Fourth of July. The event was called “Vernon Winfrey Appreciation Day,” which included a barber chair to honor his long career as a barber and owning his own shop in Nashville for nearly 50 years.

Vernon served as a member of Nashville’s Metro City Council for 16 years and was a trustee for the Tennessee State University.

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