Valerie Mahaffey, the award-winning actress known for Desperate Housewives, Young Sheldon, and Northern Exposure, has died at 71 after battling cancer. She passed away Friday in Los Angeles.
Born in Indonesia in 1953, Mahaffey built a career spanning more than four decades. Her breakthrough came with Northern Exposure, earning her a Primetime Emmy in 1992.
She later appeared in Seinfeld, ER, Frasier, Glee, Desperate Housewives, Young Sheldon, Dead to Me, and Big Sky. She played Alma Hodge on Desperate Housewives and Sheldon’s teacher Victoria MacElroy on Young Sheldon.
She is survived by her husband, Joseph Kell, and their daughter, Alice. Her husband said, “I have lost the love of my life.” Her final projects included Echo 3 and The 8th Day.