Joey Feek Funeral Update: Rory Returns To Tennessee, Plans Joey’s Funeral And Burial

Rory Feek, the husband of Joey Feek, who lost her battle with terminal cancer on Friday, has returned to his home in Tennessee to plan his wife’s funeral and burial.

As the Inquisitr previously reported, Joey Feek fought a brave battle against cervical cancer for nearly two years. Feek was first diagnosed with cancer in May 2014, three months after she gave birth to her daughter Indiana, 2. She later underwent a radical hysterectomy, along with rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, and was pronounced cancer free. However, in October 2015, her doctors made a grim discovery — Joey’s cancer had returned and was spreading to other parts of her body. Her case was now terminal, and there was little to nothing left for the doctors to do. Because she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life in a cold hospital, Joey opted to stop treatment and returned to her home town of Alexandria, Indiana, in hospice care to live out the remainder of her days.

Joey Feek’s doctors didn’t expect her to make it through the holidays, but she did. She outlived her doctor’s expectations, and even made it to see her daughter’s second birthday. Sadly, however, Joey’s condition took a turn for the worst last week, and she eventually succumbed to the cancer that had been ravaging through her body. Rory Feek shared the heartbreaking news on his blog This Life I Live, which he has been using to chronicle his and Joey’s life together.

“My wife’s greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven.

“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.”

On March 5, Rory and Indiana returned to their farmhouse in Tennessee to make plans Rory said he “hoped we would never have to make.” Joey told Rory what she wanted him to do when she died back in November. She said she wanted to be buried in a “rough-cut wooden box” built by their farmhand Thomas, and she wanted to be laid to rest in the family cemetery behind their home.

“A rough-cut wooden box with a cross on it was placed beneath the bay of the bus and brought up here because that’s what Joey wants,” Rory shared in a November blog post. “‘Thomas to make my box… simple, from wood at the farm,’ she said. ‘And find a good spot in the family cemetery in the field behind our house, where we put your mama’s ashes last year… with room enough beside my headstone for you to join me someday… in God’s time.’

Bill Gaither, Joey and Rory’s lifelong friend and mentor, announced on Tuesday that they would be having a public memorial service on Sunday. The service will be hosted by Bill and his wife Gloria Gaither, along with Rev. Jerry Young and Mike Owens. Gaither shared the details of the memorial service on his website.

“Rory Feek, his daughters and members of the Martin family will be in attendance, and are exceedingly grateful for this community’s outpouring of support throughout Joey’s life and most recently during her illness.”

Rory announced that Joey’s funeral will be private, and then she will be buried in the family cemetery just like she wanted.

[Photo via This Life I Live]