Barbara Orbison, Widow Of Roy Orbison, Dies In LA

First Published: December 7, 2011 10:45 AM EST Credit: FilmMagic LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Barbara Orbison attends the 50th Anniversary Celebration by honoring musician Ringo Starr with a Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame in Hollywood on February 8, 2010Barbara Orbison, widow of rock n roll pioneer Roy Orbison, died Tuesday on the 23rd anniversary of her husbands death, a family spokeswoman said. She was 60. Barbara Orbison died from pancreatic cancer at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center surrounded by her sons, said publicist and family spokeswoman Sarah McMullen. Orbison had been hospitalized since May. Since the 1980s, Barbara Orbison devoted her time to managing her husbands estate and keeping his legacy alive. With her son, Roy Kelton Orbison Jr. she co-produced a four-CD box set of her husbands 107 recordings. Roy Orbison: The Soul of Rock and Roll was released in 2008 and contains all of his hits and 12 previously unreleased tracks. The package marked the first all-inclusive body of Roy Orbisons work from his earliest recordings to the Traveling Wilburys debut album, Mystery Girl and his last live performance. Roy Orbison died in 1988 at the age of 52, in the midst of a comeback with The Traveling Wilburys. Actor Patrick Swayzes widow, Lisa Swayze, said her heart out goes out to the Orbison family. Patrick and I always had a warm connection with them both. Now we havelost this wonderful lady, Lisa Swayze said. Patrick Swayze died in September 2009 of pancreatic cancer. In 1998, Barbara Orbison issued Combo Concert on her label Orbison Records, a collection of previously unreleased live recordings from Holland and France made in 1965, according to Roy Orbisons official website. That same year, Barbara Orbison accepted the Recording Academys Lifetime Achievement Award on her husbands behalf, which honored his contribution to the recording industry. In January, 2010, Barbara Orbison accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on her husbands behalf. Barbara Orbisons Nashville, Tenn.-based music publishing company Still Working Music was recently awarded BMIs 2010 Song of the Year for Taylor Swifts You Belong With Me. Roy Orbison paid tribute to his wife on his website. Ive spent my lifetime trying to figure love out. Love ranges from just fascination to something almost spiritual. In the case with my wife, Barbara, it just keeps growing all the time, he wrote. Barbara Orbison will be buried next to her husband at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles, McMullen said. A Celebration of Life will be held at an undetermined future date in Nashville, Tenn. Barbara Orbison is survived by her sons Wesley Orbison, 46, Roy Kelton Orbison, Jr., 41 and Alexander Orbison, 36. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.