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According to a statement from her family, Cindy Williams, who portrayed Shirley opposite Penny Marshall’s Laverne in the hit television series “Laverne & Shirley” in the 1970s and 1980s, passed away on Monday at the age of 75.

Following a brief illness, Williams passed away suddenly in Los Angeles on Wednesday, according to a statement from her children, Zak, and Emily Hudson.

The family added, “The loss of our sweet, funny mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us overwhelming pain that could never properly be described.”

“Our joy and honor have been getting to know and love her. She was unique, lovely, giving, and had a sparkling energy that everyone adored. She also had a great sense of humor.”

Williams, a Los Angeles native, started her acting career in TV advertisements before getting parts in movies by renowned filmmakers Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.

In the well-known “Happy Days” series, she and Marshall debuted in 1975 as Shirley Feeney and Laverne DeFazio. The spinoff “Laverne & Shirley” came next, airing for eight seasons from 1976 to 1983 with a total of 178 episodes.