Joey Feek has passed away Friday afternoon at the age of 40 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

[superbeets]

RIP


[h=1]'She is in Heaven': Terminally-ill singer Joey Feek, 40, dies in her husband's arms, six months after terminal cervical cancer diagnosis[/h]

• Joey Feek passed away at the age of 40 Friday afternoon
• Her husband Rory wrote; 'My wife's greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven. The cancer is gone. The pain has ceased'
• Rory also posted a video he took of his wife last November when he surprised her with a message from her idol Dolly Parton
• Joey's hospice nurse said Monday morning that the terminally-ill star has just a 'few more days'
• Rory said that after their daughter Indiana's second birthday, Joey told him she wanted to stop fighting and was ready to 'go home'
• She then said goodbye to her family members and asked to see her daughter Indiana so she could give her 'one last kiss'

By CHRIS SPARGO FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 23:20, 4 March 2016 | UPDATED: 02:02, 5 March 2016




Joey Feek has passed away Friday afternoon at the age of 40 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
'My wife’s greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven,' wrote her husband Rory in a post on their blog.
'The cancer is gone, the pain has ceased and all her tears are dry. Joey is in the arms of her beloved brother Justin and using her pretty voice to sing for her savior.
'At 2:30 this afternoon, as we were gathered around her, holding hands and praying.. my precious bride breathed her last. And a moment later took her first breath on the other side.'
Rory also shared on Friday a touching story about a video Joey received last year from one of her idols - Dolly Parton.
The family surprised Joey with the video last November, and on Friday Rory posted a video of the moment Joey got to see her idol.
'From the time she was four years old, Joey had been singing Dolly’s songs and dreamed of one day meeting her. Coat of Many Colors was a regular part of our show and at home she loved to put on Dolly and listen to Hello God, When I Sing For Him, Me and Little Andy and many others,' wrote Rory.
'She never got the chance to meet her in person and had no idea that Dolly even knew who she was. But that changed one Friday evening this past November.'
Scroll down for videos



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Gone: Joey Feek passed away at the age of 40 Friday afternoon with her husband Rory writing; 'My wife's greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven. The cancer is gone. The pain has ceased'

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Farewell: Joey held her oldest daughter Heidi's hand for the final time in a heartbreaking photo posted on Facebook (above) earlier in the day

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One last kiss: Earlier this week Rory posted a photo of Joey's final kiss with her young daughter Indiana

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Final farewell: 'At 2:30 this afternoon, as we were gathered around her, holding hands and praying.. my precious bride breathed her last. And a moment later took her first breath on the other side,' wrote Rory (above in April 2011)


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'When a person has been through as much pain and struggle as Joey’s been through, you just want it to be over. You want them to not have to hurt anymore, more that you want them to stay with you. And so, it makes the hard job of saying goodbye just a little easier,' wrote Rory.
'After four-and-a-half months in Indiana, we will soon be back home in Tennessee. Me, and our little one, with our older daughters.
'It’s hard for me to imagine being there without Joey, but at the same time… it is where she wants us to be. It’s where she will be… She’s gonna be in the mint growing beside our back deck, the sweet-corn frozen in our freezer and a million other places that her hand and heart has touched around our little farmhouse and community. Joey will still be with us. Everywhere.
'So if it’s okay, I’m gonna close, wipe my tears and pack our bags to hit the road headed south.
'She’s already got a head-start on me.'
Carrie Underwood wrote on Twitter shortly after Joey's passing; 'Praying for the family & friends of Joey Feek. A beautiful soul moved into heaven today. A beautiful legacy she left behind.'
Governor Mike Pence of Indiana wrote; 'Saddened to hear of the loss of courageous Hoosier Joey Feek. Karen & I send our thoughts/prayers to her family, friends & fans.'
Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry wrote; 'Heartbroken by the passing of the beautiful Joey Feek and completely inspired by the way she lived every minute. Full of love and life.'
The Grammys wrote on their Twitter account; 'We are so very saddened to learn of the passing of Joey Feek. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and fans today.'


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Rory had revealed earlier this week that Joey was reaching the end.
'My wife has been asleep for days now and her body is shutting down quickly,' wrote Rory on the couple's blog This Life I Live earlier this week.
'The hospice nurse came again this morning and said Joey will most-likely only be with us for a few more days… at the most.'
Rory also said that shortly after their daughter Indiana's second birthday Joey, 40, said she was ready to stop fighting after her long and brave battle with cancer, telling him 'enough is enough'.
She then asked to see Indiana so she could give her daughter one last kiss.
After learning last October that her stage 4 cervical cancer was terminal and she had six months to live at most, Joey's only wish was to live long enough to see her daughter have one more birthday.
She managed to do just that, and few days later told Rory; 'It’s time to go home.'
First though, she wanted to say goodbye to her loved ones.


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Tragedy: Joey's hospice nurse said Monday morning that the terminally-ill star had just a 'few more days'

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Love: Joey's husband Rory shared the tragic news, saying; 'My wife has been asleep for days now and her body is shutting down quickly'

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'Joey gathered her family together around her and she said goodbye to each of them… to her mother and father and her three sisters,' wrote Rory.
'There were lots of tears as she explained to each one how much she loved them and that she was going to be going home soon.'
Then Joey asked to see her daughter.
'I set our little Indy on Joey’s lap and we all cried with my wife as she told her how much her mama loved her and, “…you be a big girl for your papa… and that mama will be watching over you,."' said Rory.
'And then she pulled Indiana up and she kissed her.'
Soon after she gave Indiana that last kiss Joey began to sleep, and then Rory learned that his wife had only a few days to live.
'In the 40 short years that Joey has lived, my bride has accomplished many great things… she’s lived a very full life,' wrote Rory.
'But even more than that, she has loved those around her greatly and been loved greatly in return. I can honestly say that Joey’s isn’t just a life well-lived, it’s a life well-loved.'
Rory also shared that Joey is at peace, telling him just before she went to sleep; 'I have no regrets… I can honestly say, that I have done everything I wanted to do and lived the life I always wanted to live.'
He ended the post by thanking those who have been supporting Joey and the family over the past few months, writing; 'Thank you to all who have followed my wife’s beautiful journey. Who are still following. Though our hearts are heavy we all need to do our best to remember that this is not the end. It’s only the beginning.
'When Joey takes her last breath here… she will take her first breath there. In heaven.'
Rory also posted a video he made featuring some of his favorite photos of Joey set to a song the two recorded but never released called 'In The Time That You Gave Me.'

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Big day: Rory also said that after their daughter Indiana's second birthday, Joey told him she wanted to stop fighting and was ready to 'go home'

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Baby girl: 'Joey barely slept the night before Indiana’s birthday. She was too excited. Jody said she didn’t fall asleep until about 5am, around the time that Indy and I woke up,' said Rory of their daughter's big day



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Mother and daughter: Joey and Indiana in her bed last year shortly before Christmas

.The difficult and tragic news comes after a very memorable February for the family, who got to celebrate Valentine's Day, the Grammy Awards, Indiana's birthday and the release of their new album this month - which topped the country charts.Rory posted photos of some of these moments including Joey watching as daughter Indiana blew out her candles, a smiling Indiana celebrating her second birthday and an image of Rory and Joey laying in bed together for the first time since November.
'When dinner was over, as I said goodnight and tucked the blankets around her in the little hospital bed she has been living in for months, she thanked me for the special night and then made one last request. “If Jody helps me to scoot over to one side…could you try to lay down with me and put your arms around me?”' wrote Rory of the couple's Valentine's Day.
'I haven’t been able to be in the same bed with my wife or hold her in my arms since the beginning of November – when she made her last trip to the hospital.
'But for one sweet half-an-hour… that changed on Valentines day.'
The big event however was Indiana's second birthday.
'Joey barely slept the night before Indiana’s birthday. She was too excited. Jody said she didn’t fall asleep until about 5am, around the time that Indy and I woke up,' said Rory.
'When Joey woke up, a little before noon, I came in to see her… and tears were flowing down her face. Again, I put my arms around her and asked, “why are you crying honey?”…
'“We made it…”, she softly answered. “We made it."'
Joey got to watch her daughter blow out her birthday candles and Indiana could be seen smiling from ear to ear in photos from the day, especially as she enjoyed her cake.
'For the most part, Indiana’s big day was nothing but joy and more joy. She has a way of bringing even the most painful parts of life back into perspective,' wrote Rory.

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All the girls: Joey with daughter Heidi, Hopie and Indiana opening Christmas presents

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Happy couple: Joey (above in April 2013) was diagnosed with cancer in June 2014, just a few months after she and Rory welcomed Indiana, who was born with Down's syndrome

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Big dance: Rory posted a photo of him and Joey enjoying a dance from a past New Year's earlier this year



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Joey was given just six months to live last October and told she would be bedridden for the remainder of her life in late November.
She got out of bed in December though and then began to walk again, all things that seemed impossible just weeks before.
She even got to spend Christmas with her family near her childhood home in Alexandria, Indiana.
Joey was diagnosed with cancer in June 2014, just a few months after she and Rory welcomed Indiana, who was born with Down's syndrome.
The cancer eventually spread and in October doctors revealed there nothing they could do for Joey.
Joey was as a restaurant owner when she met Rory, falling in love with him as he performed during a songwriter's night.
He was also a single father with two daughters, another reason Joey has said she was first attracted to him.
On June 15, 2002, the couple was married in a small ceremony.
Joey shared how she first fell in love with Rory in an interview with People earlier this year, saying; 'Rory was singing In the Round at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville with three other songwriters.
'I was just one of dozens of people in the audience that night. From the first song Rory sang, I fell head over heels for him.'
She then added: 'I didn't even know him, but something inside me said, "You're going to marry that man and spend the rest of your lives together."'
And while Rory was a noted songwriter who had penned hits for artists such as Blake Shelton, the couple got their big break in 2008 when they appeared on the reality show Can You Duet which aired on Country Music Television.
They finished in third place on the show and signed a record contract soon after - and have been making music ever since right up until the release of their new album last month.
'Our music has taken us many incredible places and let us experience some amazing things in the past 8 years and people we meet have often asked if we had a plan to get to where we are. I’ve always answered, “yes, there’s a master plan… it’s just not ours,'" Rory wrote in a blog post after the release of the album.
'And so now, with the big week we have coming up, we have a little plan. But ultimately, how the plan plays out is up to God.'


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[Willie99]

sad, too young, I liked her

no wonder she hasn't done anything new

 

[ScottL]

Sad. Don't even want to get started on cancer ..... or hospice. Such a nice-sounding word, hospice.

Good Health and Long Life to all my Friends here at Rx