Actress Shelley Fabares, known for 'The Donna Reed Show' and 'Coach', dies at 82

Shelley Fabares died on Saturday in Los Angeles, surrounded by family, according to a statement provided to the Associated Press. The actress, 82, was best known for playing Mary Stone on the 1958 sitcom "The Donna Reed Show" and later for her role as Christine Armstrong on the ABC series "Coach," which earned her two Emmy nominations for supporting actress in 1993 and 1994.

Her family described her as a source of love, strength, laughter and comfort, noting her ability to make people feel welcomed and valued. They added that she would be remembered for her kindness, loyalty, wit, courage and spirit.

Fabares launched a brief but successful music career after her TV producer incorporated singing into "The Donna Reed Show," with her debut single "Johnny Angel" reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962 and selling over a million copies. She later appeared in three Elvis Presley films—"Girl Happy," "Spinout" and "Clambake"—and acted in a range of television projects from "The Twilight Zone" to "Murder, She Wrote."

In addition to her acting work, she voiced Martha Kent in several animated Superman productions and became an advocate for Alzheimer's research after her mother’s diagnosis. She survived a liver transplant in 2000 following autoimmune hepatitis.

Fabares was married to record producer Lou Adler from 1964 until their separation, and in 1984 she married actor Mike Farrell, with whom she remained married for more than four decades. She is survived by Farrell and her stepchildren, Michael and Erin.