Hank Williams Jr’s daughter Katherine Williams-Dunning dies in car crash, aged 27

16 June 2020, 12:12

Katherine Williams-Dunning with her brother Sam Williams (left) and father Hank Williams Jr. (right)
Katherine Williams-Dunning with her brother Sam Williams (left) and father Hank Williams Jr. (right). Picture: Instagram • ktw10

By Rory O'Connor

Katherine Williams-Dunning, the 27-year-old daughter of Hank Williams Jr, has tragically died in a one-car crash in Henry County, Tennessee.

Katherine is one of two children born to Hank Jr. and his third wife, Mary Jane Thomas. Her brother is singer Sam Williams who opened for Cam on her UK tour last year.

Her grandfather is country icon Hank Williams, and her half-siblings are Holly and her sister Hilary Williams, also a musician — both of whom were born to Hank Jr. and his second wife, Becky White — and Shelton Hank Williams, known as Hank III, who is the son of Hank Jr. and his first wife, Gwen Yeargain.

Katherine sadly died in a one-car crash on Highway 79 when she was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe, which was towing a boat, when the vehicle crossed a median dividing the highway and rolled over.

The Tahoe crossed through the highway's northbound lanes and stopped on the shoulder at 7.44pm local time on Saturday June 13.

Katherine’s husband Tyler, 29, was airlifted to hospital and is “awake and responding”.

Tyler and Katherine married in October 2015 and have two young children, a five-year-old son named Beau Weston and a two-year-old daughter named Audrey Jane.

Katherine ran a clothing company called Weston Jane, that focused on “mums supporting mums and women supporting women”.

Posting to Instagram, Katherine’s sister Holly said: “I have no words. On Friday morning I talked the family into taking this picture and had no idea it would be our last together with my precious little sister Katie.

“We all went to my great aunts funeral on Thursday whom we all loved dearly, and now are faced with another one.

“ALL we need is prayers. My daddy. My little brother. Katie’s husband (he is awake and responding don’t know injury extent yet). My niece and nephew.

“Her Mama. The Dunning family. All of us. So. Many. Prayers. Jesus is close. Thank you all.

“Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. Psalm 31:9.”