Cindy Williams, the hit actress known for playing Shirley Feeney on the sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died according to a statement released from her family. After battling a short illness Williams died at the age of 75.
Williams was outspoken about her Christian faith and deep love for God. Her children Zak and Emily Hudson released a statement, “The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed.”
Her acting career spanned over the course of 40 years. She had roles in “Laverne and Shirley,” “Sam and Cat” and “American Graffiti.” In her autobiography “Shirley, I Jest: A Storied Life” she details her childhood and early connection to God.
In an interview with Psychology Today she said, “God was imbued in me from the time of my birth; and me in Him.” She added, “And I just had this sense of always being all right, even though the situation might be dire. Where that came from, I don’t know, but it just enhanced my knowledge of a power that was unconditionally good, and there for me. And so it was in that spirit that I grew up.”
She talked about her love for Sunday school and even winning a Bible for perfect attendance at a tent revival. In her interview with Psychology Today, she said that church was a place of refuge for her, especially from her father’s alcoholism. Williams learned from an early age to trust in God and have peace that He would lead and direct her life.
Williams was once talking about the theory of evolution and how it pointed to God. “It’s very mystical to us, but I’m sure if you talked to God, He’d say, ‘Yeah, that’s how I did it.’ Of course, evolution, you can’t deny that there was evolution. I can’t deny that any more than I can deny that God exists for me.”
It’s no doubt that Williams has made a tremendous impact on the world and believers alike.
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Shelby Bowen is an assistant editor for Charisma Media.
