Reba McEntire’s father, Clark McEntire, died on Thursday, Oct. 23, and the country singer confirmed the loss with a post to social media on Friday.

Reba Mourns Father On Instagram

McEntire died in a nursing home in Colgate, Okla., and had been in declining health since suffering a stroke in 2011. He was 86 years old.

“He had been in the nursing home for a while and we’re very thankful he is not suffering anymore. He was a born and bred cowboy through and through. He had been sick for 5 years. It makes total sense to me, he always told us kids never to run your horse to the barn. He was just taking his time to go on home,” Reba wrote on Instagram.

Daddy passed away last night in Coalgate, OK at 11 pm CST. He had been in the nursing home for a while and we’re very thankful he is not suffering anymore. He was a born and bred cowboy through and through. He had been sick for 5 years. It makes total sense to me, he always told us kids never to run your horse to the barn. He was just taking his time to go on home.

A photo posted by Reba (@reba) on

Oct 10, 2014 at 8:36am PDT

Reba was reportedly very close to her parents. In 2011, after her father suffered a stroke, Reba missed her own induction to the Country Music Hall of Fame to be by her father’s side.

“All the things that you get to do, the awards and accolades you receive are sweet, but they’re so much sweeter when you share them with the people you love and the people who have supported you throughout your whole life and career. When I got my star in the Country Music Hall of Fame when it was over on Music Row, Mama and Daddy were there; first time I got to sing on the Grand Ole Opry, Mama and Daddy were there. They were with me every step of the way,” Reba told Country Weekly of her decision to skip the ceremony.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.