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Phil Robertson dies: All on Duck Dynasty patriarch's wife Miss Kay and 5 children
Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson has died, his daughter-in-law revealed on Facebook. Here's all about his family.
Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson has died at the age of 79, his daughter-in-law revealed. Korie Robertson, Phil's son Willie's wife of more than 30 years, shared the news on Facebook.
Korie wrote, “We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord. He reminded us often of the words of Paul, “you do not grieve like those who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.””
“Thank you for the love and prayers of so many whose lives have been impacted by his life saved by grace, his bold faith, and by his desire to tell everyone who would listen the Good News of Jesus. We are grateful for his life on earth and will continue the legacy of love for God and love for others until we see him again,” she added. “We know so many of you love him and have been impacted by his life. We’re having a private service for now, but we’ll share details soon about a public celebration of his life.”
Phil died months after hisAlzheimer's diagnosis, which was made public on the December 6 episode of theUnashamed with the Robertson Family podcast. His son Jase said at the time that Phil was in the “early stages” of the illness.
Phil Robertson’s family
Phil was married toMarsha ‘Miss Kay’ Carroway, who he began dating in 1964. He had five children. Kay, anAmerican television personality known for her appearances on the A&E reality series Duck Dynasty, and Phil, tied the knotin 1966.
The couple faced some troubles early in their marriage because of Phil’s lifestyle. In his 20s, Phil had various issues, including excessive alcohol drinking, which caused a separation in the marriage for a while. However, according to a 2013 editorial published by Yahoo TV correspondent Kelly Woo, the Robertsons’ union was a "long-standing, rock-solid marriage." Phil later said a religious awakening helped him overcome the problems.
In a May 2024 Instagram post, Phil wrote, “She’s the best woman there is. She didn’t just stand by me through bad times and worse — she fought for me and for our boys when everyone told her to leave. The Lord never gives up on you, and she made sure I knew it.”
Phil and Kay welcomed their first son, Alan, while they were still attending college. They welcomed three more sons during their marriage – Jase Robertson, Willie Robertson and Jules Jeptha Robertson. It was revealed in May 2020 that Phil had learned that he had a daughter from an affair in the 1970s – Phyllis Robertson Thomas.
In a 2020 interview, Alan revealed that he and hisbrother Jase received a letter from a 45-year-old woman named Phyliss, who claimed she was their sister. “So basically, it was from a woman who said that by a DNA search, she thinks that dad might be her dad,” the reality star said on the Unashamed podcast.
The results of the DNA test, in fact, revealed a 99.99 percent match between Phil and Phyliss. “It’s a pretty cool explanation of redemption, reconciliation, love,” Phil told listeners. “As it turns out, you have a daughter that you don’t know about and she has a father she doesn’t know about, 45 years doesn’t sound like very long, but you see, that’s a while.”
Phil shared in a February 2024 Instagram post, along with some snaps, “I missed out on a lot with my daughter, but when the Lord brought us together after 44 years, I got to take her duck hunting. She calls it making memories and making up for lost time.”
During Phil’s health struggles, his family stood by him and ensured he was not alone. “He’s got a blood disorder, and then he’s got the mental issues that could be early [onset] Alzheimer’s … and probably some ministrokes because of his blood,” Willie said of his dad on December 17, 2024. “And so, it could be some stroke stuff happening, that has happened. So, we’re still checking on all that. But then he also has a back issue, he’s fractured his back and that’s where the pain’s at. So, he’s kind of battling many different things at the same time.”
An insider told In Touch about Phil’s loved ones in January 2025, “They want to give him the best life they possibly can under the circumstances and check in on him often and take him out for drives in the woods to reminisce about the good old days and make sure he’s getting the best care.”
