Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Williams Jr. is mourning the loss of his wife of over three decades, Mary Jane Thomas.
Thomas died unexpectedly earlier this week in Jupiter, Florida. TMZ reported the news, saying that a spokesperson for the Jupiter police department indicated that they responded to a call from the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa at around 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Thomas was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Also per TMZ, early indications suggest that Thomas’ death may have been the result of a complication, such as a blood clot, following a medical procedure.
People also confirmed the news of Thomas’ death with the couple’s son, country artist Sam Williams.
“My dear Mama Mary Jane was a beautiful soul who forever affected everyone who knew her. She had a smile and presence that lit up every room and she never met a stranger she didn’t befriend,” Sam says in a statement. “Her spirit was gentle and giving. She could take down a ten-point buck and fix dinner for her grandchildren at the same time!”
Thomas’ death comes in the wake of a difficult couple of years for the family. In 2020, Hank Jr. and his wife mourned the loss of their daughter, 27-year-old Katherine Williams-Dunning, after she was killed in a car crash.
Hank Jr. met Thomas, a former model for suntan lotion brand Hawaiian Tropic, in 1985. They married in July 1990. Katherine and Sam are their only children together, though Hank Jr. has three other children from previous marriages.
The couple’s last public appearance together was in 2021, when Hank Jr. was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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