NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fans of Little Jimmy Dickens, a Grand Ole Opry legend and West Virginia native, will be part of funeral services for him this week following his death on Jan. 2 at the age of 94.
According to The Tennessean, a public visitation for Dickens will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Woodlawn Roesch-Patton Funeral Home & Memorial Park in Nashville.
On Thursday, a public Celebration of Life service is set for 11 a.m. at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
Friends, family members and the public have been invited to attend.
A private family gathering will be held after the memorial service. Dickens is survived by his wife, Mona, and two daughters.
Dickens died of a heart attack at a Nashville-area hospital last Friday after being admitted on Christmas Day following a stroke.
Born in Bolt, located near Beckley, in 1920, Dickens got his start at a radio station near Beckley and went on to become the longest-running member of the Grand Ole Opry. His first performance there was in 1948, while his last came on Dec. 20.
In 1983, Dickens — known for his small size, big hats and rhinestone suits — became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was part of the first class inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2007.