Oprah Winfrey’s mother Vernita Lee has passed away in her home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, PEOPLE confirms. She was 83.
Lee was born in 1935 and worked as a housekeeper throughout her life.
She is survived by Winfrey and daughter Patricia Amanda Faye Lee, who she placed for adoption at birth and reconnected with later in life. Lee also had two other children — son Jeffrey Lee, who died in 1989 and daughter Patricia Lee Lloyd, who died in 2003.
A spokesperson for Winfrey says her mother has already been laid to rest at a private funeral.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%
Native ad body.
Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%
Native ad body.
Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%
Native ad body.
Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%