Delloreese Patricia Early

 Delloreese Patricia Early, known as Della Reese (July 6, 1931 – November 19, 2017),

She was a jazz and gospel singer, actress, and ordained minister whose career spanned seven decades. Reese's long career began as a singer, scoring a hit with her 1959 single "Don't You Know?". In the late 1960s, Reese hosted her own talk show, Della, which ran for 197 episodes. She also starred in films beginning in 1975, including playing opposite Redd Foxx in Harlem Nights (1989), Martin Lawrence in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) and Elliott Gould in Expecting Mary (2010). She achieved continuing success in the television religious drama Touched by an Angel (1994–2003), in which Reese played the leading role of Tess. Reese has had a wide variety of guest-starring roles, beginning with an episode of The Mod Squad. This led to other roles in such series as: The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Getting Together, Police Woman, Petrocelli, Joe Forrester, Police Story, The Rookies, McCloud, Sanford and Son with old friend Redd Foxx, Vega$, Insight and two episodes of The Love Boat. She was married four times, and had one child. In 2016, shortly after her 85th birthday, Reese was said to be in poor health, and had undergone multiple surgeries. She further disclosed that she had neglected her health for years, which had contributed to her developing diabetes. Reese died on November 19, 2017, at her Los Angeles, California, home at the age of 86. No cause was given, although she had suffered from Type 2-diabetes.