Vernon Winfrey was a prominent Nashville barber who was the father of media superstar Oprah Winfrey.
- Died: July 8, 2022 (Who else died on July 8?)
- Details of death: Died in Nashville, Tennessee of cancer at the age of 88.
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Life and career
After growing up in Mississippi, Winfrey served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. His daughter, Oprah, was born while he was in the military, and though he did not raise her during her early years, she was sent to live with him for a short time at the age of eight and again in her teens; she later said that his care changed the course of her life. Winfrey helped Oprah through her final years of high school while building his business. Having attended barber college in the early 1960s, Winfrey opened the Winfrey Barber & Beauty Shop, which remained in business for more than 50 years. He was also an elected member of Nashville’s Metro City Council, a trustee at Tennessee State University, and a deacon at Faith-United Missionary Baptist Church.
Notable quote
“You know, Oprah’s show has caused me to lose some money between 9 and 10 in the morning. That’s because I need my eyes to cut hair and to watch her. The haircuts keep me from getting the full significance of it sometimes.” —from a 1986 interview for the Washington Post
Tributes to Vernon Winfrey
Full obituary: Tennessean
