Leading 'Days of Our Lives' matriarch star died aged 90

Fans of actress Peggy McCay will be saddened to hear that she passed away on Sunday. Her friend and co-star, Deidre Hall, revealed the news on Tuesday.

Reports state that the actress had been ill for some time. She passed away in her sleep from natural causes.

Peggy McCay, 90, was an Emmy-winning actress well known for acting as Caroline Brady on “Days of Our Lives.” However, due to illness, the star hadn’t appeared on the soap opera for nearly two years.

She appeared on the show for more than three decades from 1983 until 2016. The actress was weeks shy of her 91st birthday.

For more on this story go to our Twitter account @amomama_usa. Friend and fellow co-star Deidre Hall sent her condolences on Facebook writing:

“Our dearest Peggy McCay has left us. She was a friend, an activist and a real scrapper! I remember meeting her at the bedside of a dear, very ill friend. I backed her up as she ferociously took on doctors and nurses to make sure he had the very best care. She fought that hard for all her causes. Passionate and tireless. And how she loved being Caroline!”

McCay was born on November 3, 1927, in New York City. The star graduated from Barnard College and went on to study acting with Lee Strasburg.

In 1951, she landed her first big role on the soap opera “Love of Life.” There she starred as Vanessa Dale and remained with the soap for the next four years.

McCay went on to appear in a number of primetime televisions shows and films. These included soaps like “General Hospital” and “The Young Marrieds.”

The actress was nominated nine times for both Primetime and Daytime Emmys. She won the award in 1991 for “The Trials of Rosie O’Neil.“

The star was also an animal activist. Her passing came just weeks after the death of her longtime “Days of Our Lives” leading man Frank Parker.

Parker played Shawn Brady on the soap for nearly a quarter-century. He died from complications of Parkinson’s disease and dementia at the age of 79.