Ducky Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson dies
"Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson, who built the West Monroe, Louisiana, Duck Commander franchise into a national brand, died Sunday after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 79.
Family members posted the following statement on their social media platforms:
"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 not 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, by 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."
Robertson, whose early adult life and marriage to Kay Robertson were depicted in the movie "The Blind," was a star quarterback at alma mater Louisiana Tech University before eventually building a business from his passion of duck hunting.
He began the Duck Commander business by selling duck calls and hunting DVDs from the trunk of his car and has since sold more than 1 million duck calls.
Robertson was a star in the A&E hit reality series "Duck Dynasty," where he and his wife, sons and grandchildren were featured.
Robertson was vocal with his Christian faith, and the TV show ended with a prayer around the dinner table.
He was not immune from controversy. A&E briefly suspended him from the series in 2013 after Robertson's comments in GQ magazine calling homosexuality a sin.
Robertson grew up in Caddo Parish near Shreveport and cultivated his love for duck hunting at young age.
He recalled his first successful hunt as an 11-year-old on Moon Lake in an interview with USA Today, running all the way back to his house in Vivian with two ducks.
"I said, 'Dad, I've got two ducks for us to eat; what kind are they?'" His dad identified a "pretty fat" teal and pintail and "told me to pick (pluck) them and give them to Momma to cook for dinner.
"I felt like a grown man. I've been after ducks ever since."
Funeral arrangements are incomplete, the family said in their social media posts.
More: Recalling 'Duck Dynasty' patriarch Phil Robertson's first duck hunt near Shreveport as a boy
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Ducky Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson dies
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