Lulu Roman, a gospel singer and longtime star of country music variety show “Hee Haw,” has died, a close friend confirmed to USA TODAY on April 24. She was 78.
Roman died April 23, in Bellingham, Washington, where she had moved last year to be closer to him.
The cause of death was not shared.
Getting her start as a scrappy comedian and Go-Go dancer in the Texas nightclub scene, Roman’s fame grew exponentially when she became a regular on “Hee Haw” − the long-running comedy sketch show that offered country music stars guest spots to perform.
From 1969 well into the 1990s, Roman delighted “Hee Haw” audiences with wry humor and later a knack for gospel vocals. A bout with drug addiction sidelined her from the show briefly in the 1970s, after which she discovered Christianity and went on to record a dozen albums, including duets with Dolly Parton and George Jones.
Roman performed at the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1980 and was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in the late 1990s.
“Lulu Roman was a dear friend of 40 years and she will always be remembered as one who made people laugh and smile. What better tribute is there?” country music singer T. Graham Brown said of her death in a release. “I talked to her a few days ago. We shared one last laugh and I told her that I loved her. I will really miss her. May God bless her soul.”
Equal parts singer and actress, Roman appeared on “Hee Haw Honeys,” a spin-off of the original show, as well as the movie “Corky” and an episode of “The Love Boat.”
Born Bertha Louise Hable in 1946, she was placed in an orphanage at two and a half years old, where she would live until she graduated high school.
Battling a thyroid issue and struggling with her weight throughout her life, Roman later discussed how growing up overweight led to bullying and how a dramatic slim-down in later years helped her to understand how sugar had been a coping mechanism during a tough childhood.
Roman is survived by her eldest son, Damon. Her youngest son, Justin, died in 2017.
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