Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter Lynn Massey dies aged 59 after ‘difficult’ health battle

The family of the great Loretta Lynn are grieving the loss of the country music icon’s granddaughter, according to the late superstar’s social media pages.

Loretta’s Facebook and Instagram pages – both verified – reported word of Lynn Massey’s death last week, revealing that she had died after a long health battle.

“Betty Sue’s daughter Lynn Massey, Loretta’s first grandchild, passed away this week after a long and difficult health battle,” the family’s announcement read. “Our family is so grateful for the prayers and love continually shown to us.”

The social media post included a picture of Lynn, 59, smiling before a set of shelves displaying her grandmother’s vinyl albums. Lynn was born 11 months after Loretta’s youngest children, twins Peggy and Patsy, and was Loretta’s eldest granddaughter.

A representative for the Lynn family, Chad Gallagher, reportedly told USA TODAY that Massey died on August 20.

Loretta, a coal miner’s daughter who married at just 15 years old, was a mother of four when she first launched her career in the 1960s. In October 2022, she passed away at the age of 90 years old. According to her family’s statement, she passed away peacefully in her sleep in her home at Hurricane Mills. Before her death, she requested to be buried next to her husband Oliver “Doolittle” Vanetta.

All told, Loretta had 26 grandchildren, one of whom, Emmy Russell, competed on American Idol earlier this year, making it into the top five, where she performed Loretta’s famous hit Coal Miner’s Daughter.

The legendary singer’s eldest child — and Lynn Massey’s mother – Betty Sue, passed away in 2013 from complications of emphysema.