Valerie Mahaffey, the award-winning actress with unforgettable performances in “Northern Exposure” and “Desperate Housewives,” has died. She passed away on May 30 at the age of 71. Her incredible range and ability to play unusual characters made her a beloved figure around the world. Beyond that, they made an indelible contribution to American popular culture.
Mahaffey was born on June 16, 1953, in Indonesia. She spent her formative years there, before her family moved to Texas when she was 11. She grew up in Houston and graduated from high school in Texas. After that, she went to graduate school at the University of Texas, where she developed her art form. Mahaffey began her acting career on the New York City stage. She had her career-defining talent on fulsome display in just six Broadway plays, including masterworthy productions of Dracula and Play Memory.
Her extraordinary theater work won her two Obie Awards for her performances in Top Girls and Talking Heads. Mahaffey’s move to television revealed her remarkable range. In 1992, she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as the character Eve on the series “Northern Exposure.”
From 2006 to 2007, she played Alma Hodge on the hit show “Desperate Housewives.” Most recently, she was a recurring character as Victoria MacElroy on “Young Sheldon” from 2017 until 2020. Her impressive resume includes appearances in numerous series, such as “Seinfeld,” “Wings,” “ER,” “Glee,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “The Mindy Project.”
Mahaffey’s talent did not escape the notice of her peers. Joseph Kell expressed his deep sorrow, stating,
“I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses. She will be missed.”
Rob Morrow thought of her with love as a person who provided magic and happiness to everyone who knew her, claiming she
“One of our brightest stars was stolen from us yesterday. Such a remarkable talent and human.”
Rob Morrow remembered her fondly as someone who brought joy and laughter to those around her, saying she
“was a breath of fresh air, joy and laughs.”