Loretta Lynn’s first grandchild, Lynn Massey, died on August 20, 2024, at the age of 59, and prayers are pouring out for the family of the country music legend.
Lynn Massey was the eldest child of Loretta Lynn’s eldest child. Now, all three ladies may be together again. While the cause of death or diagnosis was not shared, Loretta Lynn’s family posted on Instagram on August 23, “Betty Sue’s daughter Lynn Massey, Loretta’s first grandchild, passed away this week after a long and difficult health battle.” The post included a picture of Ms. Massey. She was standing in front of a display of her grandmother’s albums and smiling from ear to ear.
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Loretta Lynn raised six children and was blessed with 26 grandchildren. Lynn’s mother, Betty Sue, was born when Loretta was just 16. Loretta married Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn when she was only 15. Betty Sue made Loretta a grandma when Lynn—named after her grandmother—was born just eleven months after Loretta gave birth to her youngest children, twins Peggy and Patsy. Loretta was just 34 years old at the time.
Each July following Betty Sue’s death on July 29, 2013, Loretta shared memories of her firstborn on Instagram. She spoke of Betty Sue’s “feisty” and “fun” personality, and she wrote in 2021, “It seemed like we were raising each other as young as I was. I fell in love with her the moment I first saw her.” The two spoke nearly every day, and, like Loretta, Betty Sue was a gifted songwriter. She wrote “Wine, Women and Song” and “The Home You’re Tearin’ Down,” which were recorded by her mother. Betty Sue, described as having a “heart of gold,” died at 64 of complications from emphysema.
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Loretta lived to be 90 years old, dying on October 4, 2022. She was sleeping peacefully in her Hurricane Mills, Tennessee home. Betty Sue and Lynn did not live very long lives, but they were surely loved—by a large and close family and fans worldwide. After the announcement of Lynn's recent death, fifteen hundred expressions of support and sympathy were shared on Loretta Lynn’s official Facebook page alone.
We know three generations of loving and talented women, so well remembered by many, are enjoying a wonderful reunion in Heaven. May those left behind be comforted by the memories they shared together while on earth.
“Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.” Lamentations 3:32
h/t: InspireMore
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Country Cast
Hally is a freelance writer, blogger, and mental health advocate. A former school counselor, Hally works for a nonprofit that distributes tax dollars to mental health and prevention education providers that serve her county's kids and families. She's a contributor to a devotional and two essay collectives, and she shares resources and wisdom regarding parenting teens, mental health, faith, adoption, and more at http://www.hallyjwells.com where she strives to "Dig Deep and Reach High." She and her husband have three adult children and one rascally beagle pup. Hally loves travel, her book club sisters, personality tests, and a great glass of iced tea.