Wendy Williams’ Father Thomas Williams Dead at 94 & Niece Alex Finnie Shares Emotional Announcement

Wendy Williams’ family is mourning a heartbreaking loss. The media personality’s father has died at the age of 94, with the news publicly shared by her niece, Alex Finnie, in an emotional Instagram post.

via: People

Journalist Alex Finnie, who is Wendy’s niece, shared the news in an Instagram tribute on Sunday, Feb. 8. The tribute featured a montage of family photos with Thomas, who was her grandfather, set to the Stevie Wonder song “As.”

“I’ll be loving you always ❤️🕊️🙏🏾,” Alex began in the post’s caption.

“It is with an extremely heavy heart that I share — after 94 years of extraordinary love, strength, brilliance, and wisdom, my grandfather Thomas D. Williams has passed. I know he is in heaven with Nana, watching over our family and continuing to guide us as he always has,” she continued.

"My grandfather was truly a man of great intellect — an author, educator and keeper of historical facts. Papa poured into both family and community. I miss him tremendously. I’m a little lost for words right now, but I love you endlessly Papa. Give Nana a kiss for me ❤️,” she added.

Thomas’ wife, Shirley Williams, died in 2020 at the age of 85. Wendy confirmed the news at the time during an episode of The Wendy Williams Show, saying her mother died "beautifully and peacefully" while surrounded by "love."

Wendy, 61, was last pictured with her dad in Miami in February 2025 for his 94th birthday festivities. The former talk show host, who is under a court-ordered guardianship due to claims that she is cognitively impaired, said that she was unsure whether she would be permitted to visit her father at the time.

"My dad is going to be 94 next month. I don’t know if I’m able to fly to Miami to say happy birthday to my dad," she said during an emotional January 2025 interview on The Breakfast Club. She went on to claim that her legal guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, may not permit the visit.

Wendy has repeatedly denied claims that she is cognitively impaired and continues to attempt to dissolve the guardianship.

The guardianship was upheld as of August 2025 after doctors completed a new medical examination on the star, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.