Oprah Winfrey is reportedly "furious" an African-American daily took her to task for snubbing the death of black publishing pioneer John H. Johnson.

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A column in Thursday's Chicago Defender criticized Winfrey for failing to make a public statement about the Aug. 8 death of the Ebony and Jet founder, and noted she did not attend his Aug. 15 Chicago funeral.

Defender Executive Editor Roland Martin, who wrote the column, wrote a second column Friday saying Winfrey called him and said she was "furious at the allegations because it's just not true," WBBM-TV, Chicago, reported Friday.

"I did send flowers, and I did send a note," Martin quoted her as saying, adding she was in Hawaii and could not attend the funeral.

Johnson's daughter, Linda Johnson Rice, released a statement Friday saying the family has "no reason to question" Winfrey's claim that she sent flowers and a note to the chapel.

"Unfortunately, they did not come to my family's attention and we were unaware that they were delivered," said Rice. "No one has been able to locate her note or flowers, but I do want to thank her for her supportive expression of sympathy and kind words of tribute to my father."