The wife of legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett has paid tribute to him, saying “every cell in his body was filled with joy.”
Buffett, who won fame with the 1977 hit song “Margaritaville,” at his home on Long Island, New York, on September 1 after battling Merkel cell skin cancer for four years, according to a statement on his website.
“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” a statement on Buffett’s official website and social media pages said. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
He is survived by his wife, Jane Slagsvol, whom he married in 1977, and their three children.
“Jimmy was love. Every cell in his body was filled with joy,” Slagsvol wrote in a lengthy post on the website on Saturday.
“He smiled all the time, even when he was deeply ill. And his sense of humor never wavered. Jimmy was always the optimist, always twinkling, always making us laugh.”
Slagsvol began her tribute by quoting her late husband, who told fans in May that “growing old is not for sissies” after rescheduling a show due to health issues
“These last few years have been unimaginably challenging for Jimmy and me, and we’re definitely not sissies,” she wrote.
“One thing we both knew and experienced, through every difficult moment, was the feeling of being buoyed up by all the people in our lives. Everywhere we went, at arenas, at events, and even in the hospitals, we were surrounded by love. There is a whole world of people I want to thank for the incredible kindness you showed us.”
She thanked Buffett’s fans—who she described as a “big, boisterous family”—for “creating the world’s most joyful community.”
“The smile that Jimmy beamed at you from the stage was sparked by your spirit,” she wrote. “I think that’s why he loved performing so much. He was so grateful to the community you built around him. Your sympathy and support inspire and comfort me and my family.”
Slagsvol also thanked the doctors, nurses, hospice workers and caregivers who cared for Buffett.
“You gave him hope, even at the most hopeless moments,” she wrote. “Thank you for your tenacity in seeking the best solutions at each stage of his illness.”
She also expressed gratitude for those who worked with and for Buffett and herself and their “amazing friends.”
“Jimmy and I felt your breathtaking love and compassion throughout our lives and, especially, over these past few years,” she wrote.
She ended the post by quoting a lyric from Buffett’s “Bubbles Up.”
“He sings, ‘Just know that you are loved, there is light up above, and the joy is always enough. Bubbles up.’ Jimmy knew he was loved. Right until the end, he looked for the light,” she wrote.
“Thank you for giving joy to him and to me. Love, Jane.”
Update 9/10/23, 8:15 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.