Jackie Guthrie, wife of Arlo and matriarch of the modern Guthrie family, died in Sebastian, FL on Sunday night after a struggle with inoperable cancer. She was 68. Understandably, Guthrie has announced that he will be cancelling and postponing a few upcoming shows but will continue with a planned Canadian tour next week.

The couple, who met in 1968, recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary, and have toured together in past years. Arlo describes their relationship on his Facebook page:

The sun rose on my world this morning. Jackie stayed with us throughout the night, lingering in our hearts just out of sight but clearly present. She woke me before sunrise in a dream saying that the hour had come when she would need to leave us and be gone before the sun arose. As her words awakened me I walked outside and stood looking over the river talking with her in the predawn twilight we both loved so much. It was our time and for years she brought me coffee as I took photographs of morning on the river. There are loves, and there are LOVES. Ours was and will continue to be what it has always been – A very great love. We didn’t always like each other. From time to time there were moments when we’d have our bags packed by the door. But, there was this great love that we shared from the moment we met – a recognition – It’s YOU! And we would always return to it year after year, decade after decade and I believe life after lifetime.

Jackie Guthrie is survived by her four children with Arlo Guthrie and 10 grandchildren. She also has a daughter with singer David Crosby.