Kathie Lee Gifford Mourns Her Mother
CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 9/13/2017, 6:23 a.m.
Joan Epstein and daughter Kathie Lee Gifford
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) -- Kathie Lee Gifford is paying tribute to her mother, Joan Epstein.
The "Today" co-host tweeted Tuesday that her 87-year-old mother had passed away.
"My precious mother, JOANNIE went home to JESUS & my DADDY this morning," Gifford tweeted. "We praise God for His promise of eternal life & we thank God for her."
Gifford's father, Aaron Epstein, died in 2002.
Joan Epstein was known to "Today" viewers for her appearances and her daughter's warm words about her.
Gifford was known to talk to her mother every morning before her show.
"She's a grateful person. And I always try to make her laugh when we talk in the morning," Gifford said last year in a Mother's Day column. "I call her Joanie Nancy Cuddles Epstein. (Cuddles was a nickname the boys gave her at school because she was gorgeous and her last name was Cuttell.)"
The official Instagram account for Gifford and her "Today" co-host Hota Kotb posted a photo of Gifford and Epstein.
"Kathie Lee's beloved mom, Joan, has died at the age of 87," the caption read. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to KLG and her entire family."
Kotb posted on her personal account a photo of her and Gifford with their mothers, writing "We will miss you sweet Joannie."
Gifford's daughter Cassidy also remembered her grandmother on her Instagram account.
"Jesus & Pop Pop are much cooler, anyhow and I know they're both smiling now that they have you back... so until we meet again, love you to heaven, Cuddles," she wrote.
