United Kingdom, July 21 -- Lucy Hale's dad has "suddenly passed away".

The 37-year-old actress said Preson died on July 17 at the age of 68, but she did not reveal his cause of death. Lucy paid a heartfelt tribute to her dad on Instagram on Monday (20.07.26), where she posted multiple shots of her family with the Hale patriarch over the years.

She captioned the upload: "I can't believe I'm writing this, but my sweet daddy suddenly passed away on Friday.

"My dad was mind-numbingly funny, sensitive, and deeply kind. He adored his family, my step sisters, all his grandbabies, his dogs (and mine), his lifelong friends, and my stepmom, Stacy - the love of his life.

"He was so proud of his career in farming and of his hometown in Milan, Ten...