Cindy Williams, well remembered for her role as Shirley Feeney in the 1970s smash sitcom Laverne & Shirley, died on January 25th, following a brief illness. She was 75 years old when she died, and her two children, Zak and Emily, survive her.
“The departure of our wonderful, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us immeasurable pain that could never properly be communicated. Knowing and loving her has been a joy and honor. “She was one of a kind, gorgeous, generous, and had a wonderful sense of humor and a sparkling spirit,” they said.
They went on to praise her for “her lifelong quest to save animals, her prolific artwork, her faith, and, most significantly, her capacity to make the world laugh!” They also wrote a heartfelt note for fans, saying, “Thank you for loving our Mom. She adored you, too.”
Cindy Williams debuted on Happy Days in 1975 as Shirley Feeney, a brewery bottle capper who shared a room with Laverne De Fazio. The show’s producer launched a spinoff series, Laverne & Shirley, in 1976 since the two characters were so popular with fans.
Over eight seasons, the show broadcast 178 episodes and launched the careers of Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall, who portrayed Laverne. They became exceptionally close and remained friends until Marshall’s death in December 2018 — nearly four years before Williams’ death.
“What a devastating loss.” “One in a million,” Penny Marshall stated. Unusual talent, very amazing. And what a fun we had! I can’t tell you how much I will miss her.” The world is missing both of them now that one of the world’s most famous duos has been peacefully laid to rest.
Cindy Williams appeared in films and television shows until her death in the early 2000s. She participated in an episode of The Odd Couple in 2016 and hosted a discussion show in Canaan Land (2020). Her six-decade career has included dozens of roles and countless honors.
Fans, family members, colleagues, and friends continue to honor her legendary life. “How I admired Cindy Williams. “She was just as nice as I had anticipated,” Yvette Nicole Brown, who worked with the late actress on the set of The Odd Couple in 2016, said.
‘Fonzie,’ played by Henry Winkler in Happy Days, characterized Williams as a ‘great and talented human being,’ while Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham in Happy Days, delivered a lengthy and heartfelt tribute to Williams:
“Her actual brilliance, talent, wit & humanity touched every character she created & individual she worked with. We worked as actors together on six separate productions. #AmericanGraffiti, a few dramas, #HappyDays, and finally #laverneandshirley I’m quite fortunate. “Rest in peace, Cindy,” Howard posted on Twitter.
Cindy Williams is survived by her daughter, Emily, and son, Zachary, who were born in 1982 and 1986, respectively. She married Bill Hudson, a member of the musical trio the Hudson Brothers, in 1982, the same year Emily was born, and they had two children. The couple divorced in the year 2000. Our hearts go out to her family.
