'Desperate Housewives' star Valerie Mahaffey dead at 71

Valerie Mahaffey best known for her roles in Desperate Housewives and Young Sheldon has died She was Her publicist established with Fox News Digital Mahaffey's death on Friday May after she lost her battle with cancer Valerie Mahaffey was a striking and charismatic stage film and television actress whose career spanned numerous decades Her warm and infectious vigor was felt by anyone who had the good fortune of knowing her the comment read LORETTA SWIT STAR OF 'M A S H ' DEAD AT Her husband Joseph Kell additionally shared a heartfelt tribute I have lost the love of my life and America has lost one of its largest part endearing actresses She will be missed Mahaffey was born and raised in Indonesia until the age of She then lived in several places including Nigeria Texas and England HOLLYWOOD STARS WHO DIED IN PHOTOSThe actress started her illustrious career in New York City where she performed in six Broadway plays including Dracula and Play Memory Mahaffey starred in various Off-Broadway and regional plays as she was recognized for her work in Top Girls and Talking Heads Her other theater credits included playing Desdemona in Othello opposite Morgan Freeman and Julie in Romeo and Juliet with Tom Hulce LIKE WHAT YOU RE READING CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSMahaffey starred in ABC s thriller series Big Sky created by multi-award-winning writer-producer David E Kelley Fans will remember Mahaffey's grandiose character Lorna Harding in season one and two of Netflix's Emmy-nominated show Dead to Me as she starred alongside Christina Applegate Mahaffey won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in Northern Exposure as her other television credits include Norman Lear s The Powers That Be Seinfeld Desperate Housewives Wings and ER Before her death she was in the past few days seen in Apple TV 's ECHO and received critical acclaim as the ever-hopeful Madame Reynard in French Exit opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges Mahaffey's other accolades include receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Female for her scene-stealing role in the film CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERHer other film credits include Clint Eastwood s Sully Jungle Jungle No Pay Nudity and Seabiscuit Proving to be talented in front of and behind the camera Mahaffey produced and acted in Summer Eleven alongside her daughter Alice Mahaffey is survived by her husband Kell and daughter Alice