Actress Susan Buckner, best known for her role as Patty Simcox in the film “Grease,” died May 2 at the age of 72, according to the family’s publicist.
The cause of death was not specified.
“She was magical,” Buckner’s daughter, Samantha Mansfield, said in a statement provided to NBC News. “She was my best friend. And I will miss her every day. I was lucky to have such an amazing mother and now she is my angel.”
Buckner, born in Seattle in 1952, was a contestant for Miss America in 1972 after being crowned Miss Washington the previous year.
She became one of Dean Martin’s Golddiggers and later was part of the girl group Fantasy and the musical duo Buckner and Pratt.
She has also made appearances on “The Mac Davis Show,” “Sonny and Cher,” “The Brady Bunch Variety Hour” and “Starsky and Hutch.”
At the age of 25, she landed the role of Simcox, a vivacious cheerleader at Rydell High School in the 1978 musical comedy starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta.
Enthusiastic in the film, she was known for her team spirit: “Do the splits, shout! Show some spirit for old Rydell! Way to go, red and white! Come on Rydell, fight, fight, fight!”
She also made guest appearances on “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries” and “The Love Boat.” She also starred in the horror film “Deadly Blessing” (1981) and the comedy “Police Academy 6: City Under Siege” (1989).
She gave up her acting career to raise her two children and later ran a children’s theater and taught dance in Florida.
Buckner is survived by his son Adam Josephs, his daughter Samantha Mansfield, his grandchildren Oliver, Riley, Abigail and Ruby, as well as his sister Linda, his daughter-in-law Noel Josephs, his son-in-law Adam Mansfield and his longtime partner Al.
