Della Reese, the husky-voiced singer and actress who spent almost a decade playing a down-to-earth heavenly messenger on the CBS series Touched by an Angel and became an ordained minister in real life, died on Sunday night at her home in Encino, Calif. She was 86. She hosted her own show, Della, in 1969-70. Named the years most promising girl singer by Billboard, Variety and Cash Box, she was soon making regular appearances on the leading television variety shows of the day. In the 1980s, Ms. Reese had been ordained as a minister by the Universal Foundation for Better Living and founded the Understanding Principles for Better Living Church, a nondenominational Christian ministry. Surviving these incidents led her to study, teach and begin her ministry, she said. However. She told The Ottawa Citizen in 1997, For a long time, I was the woman who owned the club where the star came in after he broke up with his girlfriend.. Her most iconic acting role came in 1994, when she took the lead as the supervising angelin the CBS TV drama Touched by an Angel, playingone of three heavenly spirits who try to help the living persevere through tough times. She also had memorable roles on the shows Chico and the Man and The A-Team and in the film Harlem Nights, the last of which included a funny fight scene with costar Eddie Murphy. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. This was her fourth marriage. While pursuing a psychologydegree at Wayne State University in Detroit, Reese formed the all-female gospel group The MeditationSingers, one of the first acts of its kind to bring the sacred style to nightclubs in Las Vegas. Her death was confirmed news by her manager, Lynda Bensky. In 1996 she told The Chicago Tribune that she had consulted with God about whether to sign on for Angel. As clearly as I hear you, she said, I heard him say: You can do this. WebHer daughter Deloreese was her adopted child whom she acquired from a family member unable to care for her. The only notable complication during the shows run was a highly publicized salary dispute during the 1997-98 season. After that, it continued on air for nine seasons, landing Reese several NAACP Image Awards, two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination. In 1980, while taping a musical segment, she suffered a brain aneurysm that almost proved fatal. At first Della thought it was another of Redds pranksuntil she quickly realized it wasnt when Redd told her to Go call my wife. Reeses death a plate glass door in Bel-Air in the presence of her death was news... Daughter, Deloreese Daniels Owens, died in 2002 by: ETN Editorial Desk Published. And on TV on Sunday ( Nov. 19 ) following years of health struggles related to diabetes thought was. Topped many charts and became a million-seller record Della focused on acting career,! 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She earned several million from the hit show, Touched by an Angel. _taboola.push({ Ms. Reese saw no conflict between her religious beliefs and the enjoyment of stardoms perquisites. var i=d[ce]('iframe');i[st][ds]=n;d[gi]("M331907ScriptRootC264917")[ac](i);try{var iw=i.contentWindow.document;iw.open();iw.writeln("");iw.close();var c=iw[b];} Through her life and work she touched and inspired the lives of millions of people, actress Roma Downey, who co-starred with Reese on Touched By an Angel, said in a statement, adding that heaven has a brand new angel.. In November 2014, she sold her Beverly Hills mansion for $7.5 million. Christie DZurilla covers breaking entertainment news. People magazine confirmed that Reese passed away on Sunday (Nov. 19) following years of health struggles related to diabetes. The actor and singer passed away on November 19, at the age of 86. Age, Height, and Other Facts Della Reese died at the age of 86. WebQuick Facts Also Known As: Delloreese Patricia Early Died At Age: 86 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Franklin Lett (m. 19832017), Leroy Gray (m. 19591961), Vermont Taliaferro (m. 19511958) Born Country: United States African American Singers Actresses Died on: November 19, 2017 place of death: Encino, Los Angeles, California, United States Reese was also married to accountant Leroy Basil Gray from 1959 to 1961. Her cause of death was not released to the public. By: ETN Editorial Desk - Published: November 21, 2017 at 7:32 am, Photo: Jesse Grant / Stringer /Getty Images. Ms. Reese made her television acting debut as a nightclub owner on the police series The Mod Squad in 1968. Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. Dellas career as a singer began after gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson discovered her. Although her biggest hits came in her youth, she continued to record well into her 60s and received a Grammy Award nomination for her 1998 gospel album, My Soul Feels Better Right Now.. She detailed what it was like as she watched Foxx collapse on the set of their TV show, The Royal Family. The manner in which Foxxs death happened might make many a little angry, as it did Della Reese and also us, here at ILOSM, because it seems like some of the events surrounding Foxxs last breathe could have been avoided. Reese was twice nominated for Primetime Emmys and once for a Golden Globe, all for her work on Touched by an Angel. For seven years running, she was the Image Awards outstanding actress in a drama series. In 1970, she walked through a plate glass door in Bel-Air in the presence of her 10-year-old daughter and lost pints of blood. Reese said that on the day of Redd Foxxs death, she was there, along with Redd and the rest of the cast of The Royal Family. They were on set rehearsing for one of the episodes, which was also the same day that Entertainment Tonight stopped by the set to interview Foxx, but see what Reese says happened moments BEFORE Redd Foxx took his last breathe. It placed in the Nielsen Top 10 from 1996 to 2000, with an average of more than 20 million weekly viewers at one point. Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. A daughter, Delloreese Daniels Owens, died in 2002. My Soul Feels Better Right Now). She delivered Sunday sermons there for many years. Della loved her with all her heart, said a pal. Cosby Show actor Earle Hyman dies at 91, Gay rights activist and political power broker Ben Dillingham dies at 72, Bel-Air mansion built on the site of Della Reeses former home fetches $19.25 million. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', Della Reeses songs even ranked oncharts, with And That Reminds Me being a Top 20 hit. Della Reese, left, with other cast members of Touched by an Angel in 2003. She was awarded a star on Hollywoods Walk of Fame in 1994 for her television work. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. She leaves behind her third husband, to whom she got married in 1983, and their children. In 1957, Reese dropped a song called And That Reminds Me which topped many charts and became a million-seller record. They were married for 45 years before Reeses death. She had Type-2 diabetes. WebDella Reese, daughter of Detroit's Black Bottom, dies at 86 Forged by a tough upbringing on the east side, Reese rose to become one of the brightest black female entertainers in Hollywood Aaron Foley She was also nominated for Grammy three times in 1960, 1961, and 1999. After Touched by an Angel, Ms. Reese continued to act occasionally in movies and on TV. Shewas also a well known singerwhose music reached commercial success. After her daughter died, Della never quite got Reese earned two Emmy nominations, as well as Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild noms during the series nine-season run, which ended in 2003. Ms. Reese saw no conflict between her religious beliefs and the enjoyment of stardoms perquisites. In 1983 she married Franklin Lett, a concert producer, who survives her. I had done some marvelous things, but they were all for me or my immediate family. Her professional singing career, which spanned the 50s and 60s, reached a peak in 1959 with her No. Everything was a bill in our house, she told The Times in 2003. Deloreese Daniels Owens,41, daughter of Touched By An Angel star Della Reese.Owens was a radio operator technician.She passed away after suffering from a pituitary dysfunction. Prior to her passing legendary actress/comedian, Della Reese, vividly explained her close friend, Redd Foxxs, last moments prior to his sudden death. In 2002, Della was devastated by the sudden death of her 41-year-old adopted daughter, Deloreese Daniels Owens, whod been battling several chronic illnesses. Her cause of death was not released to the public. There was a grocery bill. She remained true to her word and loyal to her longtime friend, Redd Foxx, who helped her get to where she was in life. Owens died on March 14, 2002. WebDella Reese, daughter of Detroit's Black Bottom, dies at 86 Forged by a tough upbringing on the east side, Reese rose to become one of the brightest black female entertainers in Hollywood Aaron Foley 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. Della Reese was longtime friends with the late, Della was an ordained minister. In March, her 42-year-old daughter, Deloreese Daniels Owens, died from complications stemming from pituitary disease. In her 1997 book, Angels Along the Way: My Life With Help From Above, written with Lett, Reese described a lifetime of troubles. She was 86. At the time of her death, she had an estimated net worth of $3 million. Her death was confirmed news by her manager, Lynda Bensky. Reese had been ordained by the Chicago-based Universal Foundation for Better Living in 1987, and when Downey got married, Reese performed the ceremony. Deloreese Patricia Early was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 6, 1931 and like many of the future stars from the Motor City, began her career singing gospel music in church at an early age. It was originally published at 11:20 a.m. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. After singing for almost two decades, Della focused on acting career. We care about your data. Della Reeses cause of death is still unknown however, she was diabetic and some are wondering if that was a factor. My daughter filled that void: she saved my life. D ella Reese, who had a successful career as a jazz singer before gaining prominence as the star of the TV show Touched by an Angel, died Sunday night in her California home at age 86. WebQuick Facts Also Known As: Delloreese Patricia Early Died At Age: 86 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Franklin Lett (m. 19832017), Leroy Gray (m. 19591961), Vermont Taliaferro (m. 19511958) Born Country: United States African American Singers Actresses Died on: November 19, 2017 place of death: Encino, Los Angeles, California, United States Sharing her frustration with the lack of awareness and knowledge of pituitary disorders, Reese said: CAPTION: Della Reese with her husband, Franklin Lett Jr. Franklin Thomas Lett Jr, Mercer Ellington, Leroy Basil Gray, Vermont Taliaferro, Delorese Daniels Owen, Dominique, James, and Franklin Reese. WebReese had an adoptive daughter from a family member unable to care for her, named Delorese Daniels Owens, born in 1961. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; Continue to sleep in eternal bliss Redd Foxx and Della Reese. I was black when they hired me. Owens died on March 14, 2002 of complications stemming from pituitary disease. After high school, she joined the Wayne State University but later dropped out to support her family after her mothers illness and ultimate death. Della Reese endured unspeakable tragedy before her, In 2002, Della was devastated by the sudden death of her 41-year-old adopted daughter, Deloreese Daniels Owens, whod been battling several chronic illnesses. But earlier this year Reese, 71, was touched by tragedy. var i=d[ce]('iframe');i[st][ds]=n;d[gi]("M331907ScriptRootC243064")[ac](i);try{var iw=i.contentWindow.document;iw.open();iw.writeln("");iw.close();var c=iw[b];} Della loved her with all her heart, said a pal. She went on to appear in scores of television movies and series, including the 1970s sitcom Chico and the Man, in which she had a recurring role, and the 1991-92 series The Royal Family, which ended shortly after the death of her co-star Redd Foxx. old. var s=iw[ce]('script');s.async='async';s.defer='defer';s.charset='utf-8';s.src=wp+"//jsc.mgid.com/t/a/tailieuvan.vn.264917.js?t="+D.getYear()+D.getMonth()+D.getUTCDate()+D.getUTCHours();c[ac](s);})(); (function(){ It was never released whether she died from suicide or from complications stemming from pituitary disease leaving behind two children, ages 19 and 21. 2 on the Billboard singles chart in 1959. In later years, Reese would remark that she would never forget what she learned from Jackson, including how to communicate with people through song.. Singer and actress Della Reese had a stellar career in both singing and acting. WebHer daughter Deloreese was her adopted child whom she acquired from a family member unable to care for her. ), Ms. Reese contended that no career switch was involved. Ms. Reese saw no conflict between her religious beliefs and the enjoyment of stardoms perquisites. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Della Reese, the vocal powerhouse who later starred as heaven-sent Tess on the television series Touched By an Angel, died Sunday evening at age 86. She was an incredible wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and pastor, as well as an award-winning actress and singer. Della Reeses cause of death is still unknown however, she was diabetic and some are wondering if that was a factor. I was arrogant enough to think I was helping out this old lady, Ms. Reese recalled in a 1998 interview with The New York Times. She was known for herkindheartedness, motherly nature, and warmth. She was 86. Her guests included George Burns, Ike and Tina Turner, Little Richard, Steve Allen, Tony Bennett, Ethel Waters and Gypsy Rose Lee. Rent was a bill and the cleaning was a bill. Her father would take what money was left and gamble. Her debut as an actress was in the TV show, The Mod Squad in 1968. Her death was confirmed news by her manager, Lynda Bensky.
Reese was married four times, including a brief marriage to jazz legend Duke Ellingtons son, Mercer Ellington. The manner in which Foxxs death happened might make many a little container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails',

Her current net worth is estimated to be around $3.0 million. of. She was 86. Ms. Reese performed in concert in 2001 as part of Detroit 300, a festival celebrating the citys 300th anniversary.