Shelley Fabares sadly passed away on Thursday, August 27, at the age of 82. Her family has since confirmed the cause of death. When speaking with PEOPLE, her family revealed that the Coach star died of pneumonia. The outlet also noted that Shelley was previously diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. She received a liver transplant in 2000.
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Shortly after Shelley's death became public knowledge, her family provided a statement to PEOPLE.
"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," the statement read. "She had a remarkable ability to make people feel welcomed, valued, and cared for."
The statement continued by praising Shelley's warm and loving personality.
"She brought talent, intelligence, and warmth to every performance," the statement continued. "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."
Shelley rose to fame throughout the 1960s and 1070s. She appeared on multiple television shows, often as a guest.
Shelley Fabares Had 92 Acting Credits to Her Name
Shelley's first acting role came in 1955. She appeared on Producers Showcase, playing the role of Rebecca Gibbs. Over the coming years, Shelley made brief appearances on multiple shows, along with some made-for-TV movies.
In the early 60s, Shelley's career began to speed up. She played Dani Cooper in two episodes of Mr. Novak in 1963. The following year, Shelley appeared in The Eleventh Hour, Arrest and Trial, and The Twilight Zone.
However, Shelley's first big break came between 1958 and 1964, when she played Mary Stone for 191 episodes of The Donna Reed Show. She landed another recurring role in 1972, spending two years as Dr. Anne Jamison on The Little People.
In 1977, Shelley played Eleanor Major for 37 episodes of Forever Fernwood. She was also splitting her time by playing Jey Bedford for 27 episodes of The Practice.
Nevertheless, Shelley's most memorable role came between 1989 and 1997, when she played Christine Armstrong in Coach. She appeared in 1999 episodes of the popular show. Shelly's final roles all came as the voice of Martha Kent as part of multiple editions of the animated Superman series.
Currently, there are no details regarding Shelley's impending funeral. That information will undoubtedly remain private.
