‘Young Sheldon’ and ‘Dead to Me’ Actress Valerie Mahaffey Has Died

Valerie Mahaffey, a recognizable actress who appeared on numerous high-profile shows, has died. She was 71.

Jillian Roscoe, Mahaffey’s publicist, told The Hollywood Reporter that the performer died on Friday in Los Angeles. The cause of death was cancer.

The actress’ husband, Joseph Kell, also confirmed the news to THR, saying, “I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses.”

Of her most acclaimed roles, she won an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work on the CBS show Northern Exposure. Mahaffey played Eve in five episodes of the program. She also received a Daytime Emmy for her work as Ashley Bennett on The Doctors, the NBC soap opera.

Mahaffey was a frequent guest star or reccuring actress in some of TV’s biggest shows over the last 46 years. Her credits include Desperate Housewives, Dead to Me, Seinfeld, Cheers, Frasier, Glee, Hart of Dixie, Wings, L.A. Law, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Grey’s Anatomy, CSI, The West Wing, Ally McBeal, Private Practice, The Man in the High Castle and the original Quantum Leap.

Her most recent roles include Ms. MacElroy on Young Sheldon, Helen Pergman in Blue Sky and Maggie Chesborough on Echo 3.

In the film world, she was notably in Jungle 2 Jungle, Sully, Seabiscuit and French Exit.

Mahaffey is survived by Kell and their daughter, Alice.