Actress From Classic Sitcom and Elvis Presley Movie Dies at 90: RIP to Yvonne Lime

Actress Yvonne Lime, known for her roles in Father Knows Best and Elvis Presley’s Loving You, died on Friday at the age of 90.

The death of the former actress, a prominent philanthropist also known by the name Yvonne Fedderson, was announced Friday by Childhelp, a national nonprofit dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse, which she co-founded in 1959.

Born Yvonne Glee Lime in Glendale, California, on April 7, 1935, Lime began her acting career after graduating from the Pasadena Playhouse, appearing in numerous roles in film and television in the 1950s and 60s, including the recurring role of Dottie Snow on Father Knows Best.

Lime’s first film appearance came in 1956’s The Rainmaker, starring Burt Lancaster, and she would go on to appear the following year in Loving You opposite Presley, and in Michael Landon’s I Was a Teenage Werewolf. In 1958, she received top billing in Dragstrip Riot and starred as Joyce Martin in High School Hellcats.

Lime’s other TV credits include the NBC sitcom Happy, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, and the CBS sitcoms The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis andBringing Up Buddy. She also appeared in episodes of NBC’s Wichita Town and Bat Masterson as well as on CBS’s Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

In 1969, Lime married TV producer Don Fedderson, and they had a daughter together, Dionne Fedderson.

Lime is remembered best for her lifelong commitment to serving vulnerable children, having co-founded International Orphans, Inc., which later became Childhelp, with friend and co-star Sara O’Meara in 1959.

Originally established to support orphans in post-typhoon Japan, the organization has become a nationwide leader in child advocacy, prevention, intervention, and treatment services.

“Yvonne was my dearest friend and my partner in this mission for more than six decades,” said O’Meara in a statement. “Her compassion, strength, and belief in the power of love shaped Childhelp from its earliest days. I will forever be grateful for the life we built together in service to children.”

“Our precious Yvonne lived a life overflowing with extraordinary purpose and grace. Her beautiful smile lit up every room but it was her hurting heart for children that truly illuminated the world,” added Childhelp celebrity ambassador Kathie Lee Gifford. “She believed in the depths of her soul in hope and healing and God’s promise always wins. I am forever grateful to have known her and loved her as my treasured friend. Our loss is heaven’s gain.”

John Stamos, Childhelp celebrity ambassador added, “Yvonne Fedderson led with love. Her smile, her warmth, and her fierce unwavering dedication to protecting children left an imprint on my heart and on the world. Through Childhelp, she helped save and protect millions of children who never would have had a voice without her. That is not just a legacy, it is a living miracle. I am forever grateful to call her my dear friend. Her light, her compassion, and her courage will continue to guide and inspire all of us, always.”