Phil Robertson, Patriarch of ‘Duck Dynasty,’ Passes Away at 79

Doug Howlett

Robertson is survived by his wife since 1966 Marsha ‘Miss Kay’ Carroway; his sons Alan, Jase, Willie, and Jep; his daughter from another relationship Phyllis; his brother and “best friend” Silas; and a number of grandchildren as well as many friends and supporters.

Robertson, who spent his final days quietly, reportedly didn’t speak much before passing, but his final words to son Willie—“You’re my brother”—spoke volumes about the the way he viewed everyone through his Christian faith. While millions knew him (and his sons) for the long beards, camo, and unfiltered quips on the hit A&E reality show “Duck Dynasty,” true outdoorsmen knew Phil as a diehard duck hunter who turned a garage-built call into a multi-million-dollar business and cultural phenomenon. Indeed, “Duck Dynasty” could arguably be described as the most widely popular show to cast a positive light on hunting and the hunting lifestyle. Certainly, through the popular program that ran from 2012 to 2017, more people from all walks of life came to see hunting in a way that no shows on the Outdoor Channel or the Sportsman’s Channel ever could even combined.

“The beards were the best marketing idea anyone every came up with and it didn’t cost us a thing. That was all my dad’s idea,” Willie Robertson once told me as we, along with his wife Korie, walked through New York’s Times Square. It was back in the early 2000s as Willie was launching a spin-off company, Buck Commander, and he was visiting the offices of Field & Stream and Outdoor Life, which were headquartered in Manhattan at the time. He gave his father all the credit for the company’s success and strived to learn from him until the very end. The elder Robertson was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2024.

Willie Robertson also reflected that his father lived a life of conviction, telling Fox News, “Most importantly, he taught me the value of sharing my faith with others. He was the Real Deal, the same on Sundays as Fridays. Most of our conversations were not about hunting or business, but about sharing the Gospel.” Whether he was calling mallards or calling out society’s failings, Phil never backed down.

To many in the hunting world, Phil wasn’t just a TV star—he was the real deal. His passing leaves a void in the duck blind and in the American outdoor tradition he helped preserve.

According to Yahoo, Robertson is survived by his wife Marsha “Miss Kay” Carroway; his sons Alan, Jase, Willie and Jep; his daughter from another relationship Phyllis; his brother Silas (Uncle Si); and a number of grandchildren as well as many friends and supporters.