“Touched by an Angel” star dies at 86

Della Reese has died at the age of 86.

The actress and gospel-influenced singer who found fame as Tess, the wise angel in the television drama “Touched by an Angel,” died on Sunday, November 19.

According to Reese’s co-star on the series, Roma Downey, the actress died peacefully on Sunday evening in her home in the Los Angeles area.

No further details were included in the statement.

Before “Touched by an Angel” made its debut in 1994, Reese was known mainly as a singer.

However, she had costarred on “Chico and the Man,” ″Charlie and Company” and “The Royal Family” and hosted her own talk show, “Della.”

“Touched by an Angel,” told the story of an apprentice angel (Roma Downey) and her supervisor (Reese) being sent to Earth to solve people’s problems appeared to have little chance in a TV world dominated by sitcoms and police dramas.

In her statement, Downey said: “Through her life and work she touched and inspired the lives of millions of people. She was a mother to me and I had the privilege of working with her side by side for so many years on ‘Touched By An Angel,”

“I know heaven has a brand new angel this day.”

Reese is survived by her husband, Franklin Lett, and three children.

May her soul rest in peace.