Hollywood starlet Jennifer Garner is grieving the death of her father, who she disclosed passed away this past weekend at the age of 85.
The 51-year-old, who grew up in West Virginia in a humble, working-class home, honored her late father, William Garner, and said from her perspective, she was not as broken by his passing but was more grateful for the life he lived.
In a lengthy tribute to him on Instagram, the actress shared a number of photos of her childhood and paid tribute to a man she continued to seek guidance from, even after becoming famous and marrying A-list actor Ben Affleck.
“My dad passed peacefully Saturday afternoon,” the “13 Going on 30” star told her nearly 16 million followers on the platform.
“We were with him, singing Amazing Grace as he left us (did we carry him across or scare him away — valid question.) While there is no tragedy in the death of an 85 year old man who lived a healthy, wonderful life, I know grief is unavoidable, waiting around unexpected corners,” she added.
Then, the starlet shared a different perspective.
She expressed how thankful she was for her years with her dad.
“Today is for gratitude,” Garner wrote.
The actress continued, sharing a bit about the character of the man who raised her:
“We are grateful for Dad’s gentle demeanor and quiet strength. For how he teased with a mischievous smile, and for the way he invented the role of all in, ever patient girl dad. We are grateful for his work ethic, leadership and faith.
“We extend our gratitude to the medical communities of Charleston Area Medical Center and City of Hope. Your care extended Dad’s life and gave him time to be in his favorite spots — surrounded by daughters and grandchildren, cheering for his beloved Aggies, captaining a boat, and — most of all — next to his wife of 59 years, our Mom.”
Garner said she and her two sisters would never forget the gift of being loved by their dad, who she summarized as “wonderful.”
“There is so much to say about my dad — my sisters and I will never be done talking about how wonderful he was, so bear with us — but for today I share these memories with my appreciation for the kind and brilliant man, father, and grandfather he was, as well as the loving legacy he left behind,” she concluded.
Garner was born in Houston but raised by her mother and father in Charleston, West Virginia.
In an interview with the “Happy Mum” podcast with Giovanna Fletcher in March 2021, the actress gave a bit of insight into her childhood, and she also shared a story about her now-late father.
Garner said that even at age 48, as she considered getting her ears pierced, she felt compelled to call him to ask for his permission, Yahoo noted.
“I come from a very conservative — my dad is very strict and very conservative — Garner girls did not have their ears pierced,” she said.
She apparently never strayed too far from the love of her father, who had apparently softened up as he grew older.
“I’m 48, and I called my parents and said, ‘Dad, I’m gonna pierce my ears,’” Garner recalled.
His response, according to his daughter, was, “Okay, Jennifer.”
Garner is the middle of three children, and she also shares three children with Affleck, who she divorced in 2018.
But the couple’s three children have all been baptized — the youngest of them at Garner’s childhood church — Christ Church United Methodist in Charleston, E! reported.
The actress might have grown up to become one of the most recognizable faces in film, but she apparently never strayed too far from her roots.
She also never strayed too far from the love and guidance of her father, who spent his final moments in her presence on Saturday.
