Reba McEntire to ‘Indefinitely Postpone’ Her Mother’s Funeral Due to Coronavirus Concerns

On Saturday (March 14), Reba McEntire announced that her mother, Jacqueline, had died. Now, just two days later (March 16), the singer is updating fans to say that plans for her mom's funeral and burial will be postponed.

"After much thought and careful consideration among our family, we have decided to infinitely postpone Mama's funeral and burial at this time," McEntire writes on social media. Jaqueline McEntire's death comes amid heightened concerns regarding the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, when many throughout the U.S. and beyond are practicing social distancing and avoiding large groups.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and let you know as soon as possible about future plans to celebrate her life when it is safe for everyone to attend," the singer continues. "Thank you for all the calls, cards, thoughts and prayers for our family at this difficult time."

McEntire's mother died of cancer on Saturday, at the age of 93. When the singer broke the news to her fans, she explained that "she had a wonderful, full, healthy life and was absolutely ready to go."

"The cancer might think it won the battle, but we're giving God all the credit on selecting the time for her to go home to Him," McEntire said at the time. "She was ready to see our Daddy, her mama and daddy and all her family and friends."

It isn't the first major event that McEntire has had to postpone due to the virus. On Thursday (March 12) she announced that she planned to postpone her spring tour until the  summer of 2020, due to mounting concerns about the pandemic. The trek, which was originally scheduled to begin in March, will now kick off in July.

McEntire was one of a long list of country artists who had to reconfigure their touring plans in the wake of the virus' spread. Dan + Shay, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band and dozens more have also put their tours on hold. A number of festivals and other major musical events have also been pushed, including, most recently, the 2020 ACM Awards.

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