Valerie Mahaffey, an actress known for her roles in “Northern Exposure” and “Young Sheldon,” died on Friday at the age of 71. Her husband, actor Joseph Kell, confirmed her death in a statement. “I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses,” Kell said.
“She will be missed.”
Mahaffey’s daughter, Alice Ziolkoski, revealed that her mother had been battling cancer. “Don’t really have the words to say right now. Cancer sucks,” she wrote.
“I’ll look for you in all the fun moments of life. I know that’s where you’ll be.
Mahaffey’s enduring legacy remembered
I know we’ll see each other again someday. I love you infinity much.”
Born in Indonesia in 1953 to a Canadian mother and an American father, Mahaffey earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. She made her debut on Broadway in 1976 and her screen debut in the TV movie “Tell Me My Name” a year later.
One of her early significant roles was on the NBC soap opera “The Doctors,” where she portrayed Ashley Bennett for over 100 episodes from 1979 to 1981, earning a Daytime Emmy nomination. In 1986, Mahaffey appeared in the TV movie “Women of Valor” and starred in the soap-spoof miniseries “Fresno.”
Mahaffey’s career included appearances on shows like “Quantum Leap,” “Perry Mason,” and “Seinfeld.” In 1991, she joined “Northern Exposure” and won an Emmy for her performance as wealthy hypochondriac Eve. She later starred in the political sitcom “The Powers That Be” and had recurring roles in ’90s shows such as “Wings.”
In addition to her television work, Mahaffey appeared in films like “Jungle 2 Jungle” and “National Lampoon’s Senior Trip.” She continued to act in the 2000s and 2010s with roles in “The West Wing,” “Private Practice,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives,” and many others.
Her recent projects included roles in “Big Sky” and the film “French Exit,” for which she earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Female. Mahaffey is survived by her husband, Joseph Kell, and her daughter, Alice Ziolkoski.
