Toby Keith's family announces private funeral service; public memorial to be announced soon

Brandy McDonnell, The Oklahoman
·2 min read
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A private funeral service is planned later this month for Oklahoma country music superstar Toby Keith, and a memorial service is expected to be announced soon.

A larger-than-life country music icon, Keith, who was born Toby Keith Covel, died Feb. 5 after a multiyear battle with cancer. He was 62.

"The Covel Family is hosting a private funeral service for family, band and crew only in mid-February. A memorial service to honor Toby will be announced only on Toby’s socials shortly," reads a message posted Saturday on Keith's social media and confirmed by The Oklahoman with his publicist.

Keith is survived by his wife of four decades, Tricia Covel; their daughter Shelley Covel, her daughter Presley and sons Sladen and Sawyer; their daughter Krystal Keith Sandubrae, her husband, Drew, and their daughters Hensley and Kirby; their son Stelen Covel and his wife, Haley; his mother, Carolyn Joan Covel; and his sister, Tonni Karan Covel-Moore, who all live in Oklahoma. He is also survived by his brother, Tracey Covel, of Florida.

Toby Keith's family asks fans consider donating to his OK Kids Korral

In lieu of flowers, Saturday's social media post says that "the family appreciates" donations to the Toby Keith Foundation to support the OK Kids Korral, which provides no-cost housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families.

In late 2013, Keith, his family and supporters celebrated in OKC the grand opening of the $9 million OK Kids Korral, a home-away-from-home for children seeking cancer care at OU Medical Center.

"It’s probably my greatest accomplishment," Keith told The Oklahoman in 2019.

OK Kids Korral recently marked its 10th anniversary, and in the past decade, it has housed and helped 600 Oklahoma families of children with cancer, said Armando Rosell, a member of the executive advisory council for the Oklahoma City-based Toby Keith Foundation.

"We are 100% committed to making the OK Kids Korral continue on and to making it the OK Kids Korral Toby wanted it to be," Rosell told The Oklahoman.

To donate to or get more information about the Toby Keith Foundation, go to https://www.tobykeithfoundation.org.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Toby Keith funeral: Family to hold private service; public memorial to come