Actress Shelley Fabares, best known for playing daughter Mary on "The Donna Reed Show" and TV anchor Christine on "Coach," has died at 82.
Fabares died Saturday, Aug. 22, in Los Angeles, surrounded by her loved ones, her family confirmed to People magazine.
"To her family and friends, Shelley was a source of love, strength, laughter, and comfort," the family said in a statement. "She was a devoted wife, cherished stepmother, daughter, sister, niece, aunt, family member, and loyal friend whose warmth, generosity, humor, and grace made an enduring difference in the lives of everyone who knew her. She had a remarkable ability to make people feel welcomed, valued, and cared for."
Shelley Fabares movie and TV roles: 'Brian Keith Show,' Elvis' 'Girl Happy'
Fabares played Donna Reed's daughter, fan-favorite Mary Stone, on the
1960s ABC family sitcom "The Donna Reed Show" for nearly 200 episodes from 1958 to 1965. The role earned her a Young Artist Award. She appeared in every episode until her character left for college, and Fabares focused on other projects, appearing in only a handful of episodes in the show's final two seasons.
The role gained her popularity as a teen idol, and later a recording contract. She ascended to the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 with the single "Johnny Angel" in 1962. Her second album included the Top 40 single "Johnny Loves Me" and another hit, "The Things We Did Last Summer."
Fabares went on to pursue bigger film roles, including opposite Elvis Presley as leading lady Valerie in "Girl Happy." She'd star opposite Presley twice more, in 1966's "Spinoff" and '67's "Clambake."
The actress continued to make TV guest appearances, and by 1972, she was a regular on the NBC medical sitcom "The Brian Keith Show," one half of the father-and-daughter pediatrician duo, Dr. Anne Jamison. The show lasted two seasons.
She later continued with more guest roles, landing a yearlong stint on the soap opera "Forever Fernwood" and appearing in later seasons of "One Day at a Time" as Francine. Her other notable roles included a recurring spot on "Highway to Heaven," guest appearances on "Little House on the Prairie" and the TV war film "Memorial Day," significant in that it is where she met her second husband, "M*A*S*H" star Mike Farrell.
By the 1990s, Fabares would land her second most beloved role, opposite Craig T. Nelson's college football coach Hayden as TV news anchor Christine, his girlfriend and eventual wife. The role would earn the actress her first Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series.
After "Coach" and other smaller roles, Fabares turned to voice acting, in the DC animated film "Superman: The Last Son of Krypton" and "Superman: The Animated Series" as Clark Kent's adoptive mother Martha. Her reprise of the character in the 2003 animated film "Justice League" was her final film or TV role.
Her family remembered the "beloved actress whose work became part of the fabric of American television and film."
"She brought talent, intelligence, and warmth to every performance. But to those closest to her, her greatest legacy was personal: the love she gave so freely, the friendships she treasured, and the family bonds she held dear," they said, per People. "We take comfort in knowing that Shelley's work and the memories she created with those who loved her will continue to live on."
Fabares is survived by Farrell, her husband of over 40 years, and two stepchildren, Erin and Michael Farrell.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shelley Fabares, 'Coach' and 'The Donna Reed Show' star, dies at 82
