R.I.P. Susan Buckner: ‘Grease’ And ‘The Love Boat’ Actress Dead At 72

Actress Susan Buckner, best known for her role alongside Olivia Newton-John in Grease, has died. She was 72.

The actress’s rep announced the news with the statement, “Susan died peacefully on May 2 surrounded by loved ones,” per TMZ. A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Buckner’s daughter, Samantha Mansfield, praised her mother with a touching statement.

“The light she brought into every room will be missed forever,” she told People. “She was magic, and I was very lucky to call her my best friend.”

Buckner’s most notable role was playing Sandy’s cheerleader best friend, Patty Simcox, in the 1978 musical. Her character appeared in some of the musical’s most iconic numbers, including “Summer Nights.”

Born in Seattle in 1953, Buckner won Miss Washington in 1971, later going on to represent the state in Miss America competition the following year.

Buckner soon broke into the entertainment industry in 1973 as a sketch performer on The Dean Martin Show. Her acting career continued with appearances in The Love Boat, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, Starsky and Hutch, and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, among others.

She later took a break from acting to focus on raising her two children. Her final acting role, according to IMDb, was as a news reporter in Police Academy 6: City Under Siege.

She later taught theater at a Florida elementary school and became a dance instructor in Carol Gables. Buckner is survived by her children, Mansfield and Adam Josephs, her grandchildren, and her longtime partner.