Young Sheldon's Valerie Mahaffey Dead At 71
Valerie Mahaffey, star of "Young Sheldon," "Dead To Me," and "Big Sky" among other award-winning shows and movies, has died at age 71. "I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses. She will be missed," Mahaffey's husband, Joseph Kell, said in a statment (via Variety), sharing that she had passed away in Los Angeles from cancer.
"I don't really have the words to say right now. cancer sucks. I'll look for you in all the fun moments of life. i know that's where you'll be. i know we'll see each other again someday. i love you infinity much," her daughter, Alice Richards, wrote in a heartbreaking Instagram post alongside a beautiful photo of herself as a young child with her mom.
Mahaffey joined the cast of "Young Sheldon" in 2017, portraying the character Mrs MacElroy until exiting the show in 2020. However, it was far from her biggest high-profile role during her career. Some probably best remember Mahaffey from the '90s CBS classic "Northern Exposure." She won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in 1992 for her portrayal of Eve, the hypochondriac wife of the compulsive liar and paranoid chef, Adam. Mahaffey's career spanned 50 years and included stints on "Seinfeld," "Desperate Housewives," and "Wings," in addition to appearing in big screen hits such as "Sully," and "Seabiscuit."
Mahaffey is remembered by co-workers and fans
Valerie Mahaffey joins the list of actors who have sadly died in 2025, alongside Roberta Flack, Gene Hackman, Val Kilmer, and George Foreman, among others. Unlike some of her contemporaries, the celeb hid her cancer diagnosis from the public, making the news of her death all the more shocking to those outside of the circle of Mahaffey's family and close friends.
Celebs and fans alike took to social media to share their condolences and pay tribute to the late star. "Valerie Mahaffey was always JUST right no matter what she was working in. Always so memorable, talented. I can't believe she was even 71 as that means she really was a part of my life watching things as long as I've been around. Grateful for her good work always," a devotee posted on X, formerly Twitter.
"RIP to the dear, sweet, funny #valeriemahaffey she was a breath of fresh air, joy and laughs as 'Eve' on #northernexposure we all adored her," her former co-star Rob Morrow wrote. "A moment of silence, please, and one last trip to a mental hospital after getting dumped by George, then tossing out Jerry's tax-audit paperwork, with the passing of Valerie "Patrice" Mahaffey," media critic and editor Jeff Domingues commented, referencing Mahaffey's portrayal of Patrice, who was quite possibly the only women ever to be ditched by George Costanza on "Seinfeld," a character renowned for being a total loser in love and overall life.