NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The community will celebrate the life of Vernon Winfrey on Thursday at Temple Church.
A celebration of life will be held from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. His family will have a private visitation beforehand.
The former councilman, longtime barber and the father of Oprah Winfrey died last week after a battle with cancer. He was 89 years old.
The community said his legacy will last forever. Just like his daughter, he made an impact on those around him, especially in East Nashville where he lived and worked.
On Wednesday a visitation was held for the community to say goodbye.
Winfrey worked hard to better his East Nashville community by opening Winfrey's Barber Shop and eventually opening Winberry Place, a retail space for his shop and others. He also helped revitalize the Cleveland Park area just several blocks away.
Winfrey served as a deacon for 45 years and led the community as a council member from 1975 to 1991.
"When he talked to you it was always a pleasant joke or something that he would say... just a funny person. Always smiling, I never seen him sad about anything. So he was always happy to me," said family friend Norma Ochoa.
