Oprah Winfrey paid tribute to her mother, Vernita Lee, who died on Thanksgiving day at age 83. Lee is pictured with Oprah in this undated photo.
The family confirmed Lee died of natural causes at her home in Milwaukee on Thanksgiving Day.
Lee was 18 when she gave birth to Oprah on Jan 29, 1954 in Mississippi. She named her firstborn child after a woman mentioned in the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Ruth.
Lee left her baby with her mother to raise for the first six years of Oprah’s life.
Oprah eventually traveled to Milwaukee to live with her mother.
Another daughter born to Lee died in 2003, followed by a son who died in 1989.
Oprah and her mother had a distant relationship before reconnecting years ago.
Oprah posted this family photo on her Instagram account on Monday. She captioned the image:
“Thank you all for your kind words and condolences regarding my mother Vernita Lee’s passing. It gives our family great comfort knowing she lived a good life and is now at Peace.”
According to published reports, the family already held a private funeral for Lee.
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Her mother looks gorgeous …. RIH! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1bdc7bde0bd43557a872b06b3652a86a9045d36e174dd456f90f2c54b52e2a40.gif
at least Oprah did right by her mom and they were able to have a relationship in spite of her childhood (nothing worse than regrets after someone’s gone forever).
RIP Ms. Lee.
My condolences to the First Lady of TV and the family of Vernita Lee. On a holiday…death knows no days. They are definitely related. Oprah has a great life story.
May she rest in peace! Sending prayers and strength to her family, and friends.
RIP
Nice looking family
I’m glad Oprah and her mom put their differences aside and reconciled. R.I.P. Ms. Lee.
Also, kudos to Oprah for assuring that her mom’s service remained respectful and private without the media frenzy making it a circus. Ms. Lee passed on Thanksgiving and was laid to rest this weekend even before the media knew what was up.
Condolences to Oprah and her sister Pat and the grands and great grands.
I’m glad Oprah and her mom put their differences aside and reconciled. R.I.P. Ms. Lee.
Also, kudos to Oprah for assuring that her mom’s service remained respectful and private without the media frenzy making it a circus. Ms. Lee passed on Thanksgiving and was laid to rest this weekend even before the media knew what was up.
Condolences to Oprah and her sister Pat and the grands and great grands.
Oprah is a weirdo .
Oprah is a weirdo .
If you truly value your privacy it can be done without the media knowing a thing. TMZ goes above and beyond to get every little detail, the 911 call, the hearse leaving the property and the mourners arriving. It’s pretty sick.
Rest in peace, prayers and condolences to the family.
Americans always can kind words in time of need. Good for you.
Prayers to Oprah.
crazy right???
Sending words of comfort to the Lee/Winfrey family. It’s never easy losing a loved one.
That’s whassup. Having respect for the loved one & family. Dignity.
She has a strong dignified face.
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Condolences.RIP…
Beautiful features …… much love to their family
I just don’t find Oprah relatable any more use to love her in the 90s ,RIP to her mom
#TEAMOPRAH
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bf38263a66afe82e66ac2024b3065a60e23e2350ad53092c3ab494c0fc1a7559.gif
Losing a loved one at the holidays is so hard. We lost my MIL the week before Christmas last year, and it really put a damper on everyone’s spirit. I’m still missing her so much.
Yep, you’re right.
Aweee so sorry to hear that. I hope you all get through this.
Yup. That’s whassup.I loved how Oprah handled it.
First Mayor Harold Washington and now Oprah’s mom. Can “famous” people stop dying on and around my birthday? RIP, Ms. Lee.
Thank you so much. Do you know the hardest part? My son telling me last week, “Mommy, I miss Nana so much”. It ripped my heart out. I really pray for their family.
I’m glad she always maintained respect for her mom. I recall the first encounter of Vernita reuniting with the daughter she gave up on live TV and how her reception was rather cold and bitter. I guess that was a hard pill to swallow with your secret coming to haunt you on live TV ?
Death is a debt we all must pay
RIP …
You forgot to mention Oprah’s baby sister in the black dress. Oprah’s mother gave her up for adoption
RIP to her mother.
Her mother was trife to her but Oprah handled it like a lady.
She lived a good long life r.i.p
She lived a good life for the last 30 years funded by a daughter she abandoned, neglected and hated.
That funeral P Shitty gave Kim was an whole disaster. He was in a freaking tuxedo looking bloated up top and pinch bodied at the bottom while missing his neck. Just gross. Couldn’t let anyone else really have the stage. The photo ops and crap were too much. I’m just glad he didn’t do the horse drawn carriage I was prepared to go to jail for slapping his face.
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Her face hid her secrets well.
You think that what made Oprah smoke Crack?
She just chasing white folks around the globe now
I don’t know nothing about no crack.
Right. Her mom seemed shady and full of it.
Nah
Oprah did not smoke crack, stop it sir…
Dam they had a funeral fast. She just passed thanksgiving which was only 4 days ago.
Death aint playing. Just spoke 2 my brother n he told me that my lovely sister in law just passed away. He told her 2 lay down n rest bcas she is always working. She was not a lazy woman He went 2 wake her up bcas he said she was sleeping too long. She was dead .She leaves behind 3 lovely daughters n a 6 year old granddaughter. One of them just got married last month n we were just having fun Thanksgiving. Keep them un yall prayers. Thanks peeps.
Hey just about every black family got some sort of shady past of drama and secrecy.
Yeah, tough on both parties I’m sure (but my personal belief is that the ‘child’ has a right to know the truth regarding its familial roots, upbringing & background)
That’s the way people are doing it now. Almost like the Jews who bury theirs within 48 hours.
Please accept my condolences. May she rest in peace.
She admitted to that and eating frozen foods. Like with ice crystals.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/01/13/oprah-winfrey-admits-drug-use/22391376-4674-463c-b4a0-efc6239ff9fb/?utm_term=.934ce41e8f7b#
Hugs
Jews have 3 days to bury the deceased! Not 2!
How do you know? People state what they want…usually not all the facts. ..which is no one’s buisness anyways.
Sorry to inform you she smoked crack and her eyes would get as big as headlights. She talks about it in her book
You didn’t know she was on crack?
I’m sorry for your loss. ?
May God be with you, and your family during this time.
Prayers and condolences to you and the family
Chile, I’m not ready for this convo. Not the O! Not the O! When friend? When did the O hit the pipe? Lawd, let me get a hot toddy with ice. My nerves done gone south. Spill it!
Too often children are Bible beaten, churched, coerced and forced to maintain relationships with parents who are abusive or neglectful; forgive the family pedophile while being shunned for exposing him/her; and more family dysfunctional dynamics. Meanwhile folks are growing up victims for life via the trauma.
I’ll never forget the way her mother rolled her eyes and the tone with which she spoke to Oprah. It was as if Oprah still didn’t matter and all her achievements were worthless to her mother.
Peace and Blessings to you and your family!
I lost my mom this year… my condolences.
She smoked in them limos
Rip to her mother I know they had a strained relationship early on. Salute to Stedman. He held Oprah down for YEARS. Heard some wild stories about him from back in the day lol. He stayed down after all the craziness.
Prayers for the family. May she rest in peace.
Thank you, thank you ,thank you for that breath of truth!!!
Oprah handled the situation like an abuse victim.
Thanks a lot. My brother n her were together for 40 years. I dont want 2 get my thanksgiving photos developed bcas those were her last photos.
“Heard some wild stories about him from back in the day lol.”
I hurd’em too!
Sorry for your loss.
So sorry to read this this. I hope you find some comfort in knowing that although we’re just e-family, we really do care…and will pray.
May God bless you.
All families— incest, greed, lies, cover ups, alcoholism, back biting, abuse & the list goes on…
She named her firstborn child after a woman mentioned in the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Ruth.
———————————————————————————————
The woman’s name in the book of Ruth is Orpah… Not Oprah…
May Ms. Lee R.I.P.
So sorry for your loss.
That is my family to the T. They get mad because my mother and father raised us to believe in god, but weren’t into the whole church thing, so I think differently then them. So I see things they do that I don’t like, or don’t like how they treated me so I refuse to speak to them or go around them. Everybody gets so upset and be like but they your family, and the Bible says forgive, or the Bible says this or that…. and I believe so you want those snakes to keep bitting me in the as$. No…. Thank You.
If this were anyone else yall would be screaming she was a bad mom. She abandoned her kids. Its her fault Oprah got molested twice and knocked up at 14. Because well the mom should and HAS to know right? RIGHT? She WAS after all under HER watch. She had a daughter die from drugs. And my personal fave, it was probably her fault her son was gay and died too…from AIDS.
Now its “she was a great lady” etc etc. Well folks she kinda wasn’t. According to blog logic she was horrid. Whatever. Rest in peace wherever it is wayward moms go.
So sorry! condolences.
Oprah handled it like the only one of this lady kids who was ever destined to be shyt.
I know sweetheart. You can still pull out pictures and laugh with him. Tell him funny stories about her. It gets greater later ? big hug ?
No Oprah went back into victim mode and didn’t stand up for herself and say hell no!
Condolences to you and your family. So sorry for your loss!
Can we get a post on how Trump managed to kill a whole a^% vehiclar icon???? The last box Chevy has to DIE all bc he imposed taxes on steel and aluminum which cost GM over $1 billion dollars. Fukktard.
https://www.freep.com/picture-gallery/money/cars/general-motors/2018/11/26/chevy-impalas-through-years/2119767002/
Word!! Keeping it real as always sis!! RIP??
Nobody here ever KTSE. Ever.
And around the holidays no less! I have never understood why TF corporations choose to lay people off around the holidays. It’s mean and insensitive. One guy said it felt like a kick to his stomach. I cannot wait to hear Agent Orange try to spin this to make it “positive”?
I hope he gets hit by a Caddy many of which are ALSO being discontinued, or my beloved Impala while in Detroit trying to explain this away. After all the previous administrations did to bail out the auto industry, he singlehandely kills American icons with his BS in less than 2 years. Fool had ONE job.
So sorry for your family’s loss
One day at a time ??
Where u been?
After reading your post and viewing the images on the link I’ve got that song, “wanna be a baller, shot-caller, 20-inch blades on the Impala…”, in my head. Used to two-step by myself in the club with drank in hand when that song came on. I felt it in my spirit; had many a kin that owned Chevy Caprices and Impalas.
That song is on NBA 2k19 which I just got on Black Friday. AYE AYE AYE.
???
Yup. I wish one of those reporters had said to Trump yesterday: “Sir, I thought your corporate tax cuts were suppose to create jobs, not lose them.”
Just more voodoo economics from the Republicans. smh
I don’t know if you’re a believer or not, however we don’t know what this woman asked God to forgive her for, if He granted her peace what we say really is just mean spirited vitriol. Saying “May she rest in peace” is a comfort extended to her family, only He knows if she will. Extending words of common decency is human.
Ran da fluck ovah!!?
Then I am sitting here worried about Mississippi and the election. I know it’s a long shot but I hope Espy can pull off a win!! When I saw those 2 noose on TV and that demon woman talking about she was “joking” about the hanging comment I just lost it!! ???
Because the corporations want to begin the new fiscal year with a surplus projection. In 2019 they know first hand that none of those salaries will affect their bottom line. Trump is angry and has demanded that GM open a new plant in Lordstown, OH, lol the town that flipped and went 30% extra on the Trump rhetoric because he made promises!
Oh I understand intellectual as I am in finance but I cannot understand as a humanitarian. I have made it through several lay offs and it’s all about head count. Sickening?
I have to be a little honest with this, I hate that the layoff’s and closures hurt so many, HOWEVER the plant closure in Lordstown, Oh, I really don’t mind one bit! The voters in that area voted for Trump and acted like Obama did nothing to save the auto industry, he told them “I’m bring your jobs back, no president in the history has done for you what I’m going to do.” “Don’t sell your homes, there will be plenty of jobs”! Now 1,400 jobs are gone with the closure of that plant, Trump said “GM had better replace the closed plant”! I’m sure they laughed heartily and had a good nights sleep.
You’re only going to find that level of decency through a small business, where the owner has had long term employees that helped him/her grow. Yeah it’s pretty sad though.
That bytch will probably win. It is Mississippi after all. And with 45 going down there stomping for her saying that Espy doesn’t “fit in” tells you all you need to know about how they roll. I agree, it is a long shot, but let us pray anyway. GOD is still in the miracle business. If prayer and voting can stop a pedophile from taking office in Alabama, HE can certainly stop this.
I agree with this times 10,000
I really don’t have any sympathy for those toothless hicks that had the NERVE to say how much better Trump is because he means what he says and if he says the jobs from overseas are coming back, THEY WILL! LOL LOL LOL go on welfare bytches!
I see Steady Stedman in the pic. Where is her Girlfriend Gale at?
You were present for the Kim Porter posts. She got her dead ass dragged here. Dragged. DRAGGED. To smithereens. But Oprah mama up here shown some kind of decorum. It varies here. WIDELY. And Its NOT okay with me.
I hope so! Agent Orange crowing about widening the gap in the senate made me want to hurl. Fix it Black Jesus??
Honestly I backed out of that post as well as subsequent posts claiming who was and wasn’t distraught or in mourning. I don’t do bashing of any kind when someone dies simply because we all grieve differently. I find it sad that people on here and elsewhere post as if they actually have first hand knowledge on what a person is thinking/feeling based on gossip. I think one of my New Year’s resolutions will be to read and post less, it’s not worth my soul to read utter garbage/hate daily. Hope you enjoy the holiday season.
I’m chuckling ??? but I feel bad. I’m trying to behave today. You said go on welfare bytches! lol
That’s what I was thinking, “where the heck is Gayle?”
RIP Lady Vernita. I’m glad Oprah was able to financially support her mother, although she didn’t love nor raise Oprah.
You should see these racist ignorant people, they really think only blacks and those MEX-E-CANS receive welfare? WTF this poor town is going belly up once the plant closes and their little pensions won’t last long when they have to pay for their house note and F150 truck payment, F’em if they can’t take a joke, welcome to the real world of Donny’s-got-your-vote! GO ON WELFARE BYTCHES!
I am so sorry for your loss. ? I cannot imagine how it must feel. Blessings and comfort for you and your loved ones! ???
Oh no Hot!! Hugs and love sis. Did you send me an email? I haven’t checked it yet. I am so very sorry for your loss. Prayers and comfort for you and your family!! ????
You told no lies! ?
Oprah has told the story many times that, no one in the family could spell and her name was spelled Oprah instead of Orpah. That’s how she became known as Oprah.
I will never say this women as great.
She wasn’t even a decent human being much less a mother.
She left her last child in the hospital. She was just a baby making machine not a mother.
She was probably a sociopath like my mom.
I’ve been looking for you!!
But, GM got bailed out with our tax dollars ten years ago by Obama Admin. GM should have had some reserves for something like this. Cut those upper level management salaries and they would not have to discontinue a car model. Corporate greed is destroying this country.
Condolences to your family. This is so shocking!
I’m gonna be the cynic. Whatever Oprah is, you cannot come for her intelligence and discernment.
The woman was awful to her, but Oprah kept her close, as in keep your friends close and enemies closer and family trouble even damn closer!!
When her drug addicted sister wrote that book, it threatened Oprah’s empire. Clever Oprah turned it around and made it work for her, but don’t you believe that the Oprah machine didn’t go to work. And that meant getting this dysfunctional family here in line.
She found the sister the mother gave up for adoption (that girl was lucky) and got the mother not only to into civilization, but in line. A nice little story of rags to respectability.
And with Oprah’s money, I am sure Oprah let her mother know that she could “drop dead of a heart attack at any time” so if she wanted to die a natural death at a ripe old age, she better get with the program. No one on Oprah’s payroll steps outta line.
Oprah knows how to use her intelligence and her money.
What’s new doll?
Truth, facts, receipts….. and hot tea for some ?
Yup, it’s how money gets down.
Father Time. I need to see Oprah with the pipe. Harpo!!!!!
Not everything is black and white. Some of us choose to conquer hate and abuse with love and courageous forgiveness. If Oprah was a victim, she wouldn’t have brought her half sister back into their family again.
This. Oprah ain’t a Meghan Markle!!
There are 3 comments above yours from NUTS that I blocked and they still trying to ride my comments, LOL get a life, losers.
And I would have left that cow in the ruins of her life. Her mom NEVER seemed to be a quality person.
Got a good paying job, ex bf wants to get married to me, thats about it. Hows it going with you?
You told NO lies…
These are FACTS..
No we won’t be Meghan Markleing over here. But Oprah’s family did try it back in the day.
Congratulations on both!
What you tell him?
I can’t complain, just trying to live my best life and be great. Just learning how to be present in the moment, and stop trying to plan everything, as it doesn’t work.
I’m still in love with him so I told him if he divorces his wife and moves here from NY he could date me. But you are right. Planning never works.