While to fans Toby Keith may have been a singer and entertainer foremost, Keith was also a family man, and that’s where his priorities often lay. Taking to social media, Keith’s family mourned the country music icon.
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In a statement posted on his website and social media, Keith’s family said he approached his battle with cancer with courage and dignity. They were with the singer when he passed.
“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time,” the statement read.
Keith was married to Tricia Lucus for 40 years after the two first met at a bar. The two dated for three years before deciding to tie the knot. In 2001, Lucus told People, “I was 19 and he was 20. He was just one of those larger-than-life guys, full of confidence.”
Toby Keith as a Family Man
Keith would go on to have three children — Shelly Covel Rowland, Krystal LaDawn Covel Sandubrae, and Stelen Keith Covel. He also had four grandchildren as well. The Keith family spent the holiday season together with Keith, as shared by the singer’s social media page.
Keith had a very busy career as a singer, but according to his daughter Krystal, he always played a very active role at home. He helped raise his children to follow their dreams.
“I think it speaks volumes that the way I kind of remember childhood is I don’t really remember him being gone. When he was home, he was so present that I don’t remember the spans of him being gone,” Krystal Keith said. “He’s a lot more normal than people expect him to be. He’s exactly what you get of him in interviews and things like that,” she said.
When Krystal decided she wanted to be a singer too, Keith advised her on the industry and also placed importance on getting a college education first and foremost. Krystal ended up attending the University of Oklahoma before pursuing music.
“He didn’t want the industry to beat me up on being young and inexperienced. His example was LeAnn Rimes. When she came out, she was so young and had this big, huge voice that was amazing, but then as she grew up, people still saw her as a kid,” Krystal Keith said.”He always said, ‘I earned all of this money and my kids have every opportunity to go to college.”
[Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartMedia]
