The news of Loni Andersonâs death was announced on August 3. She was 79 and would have celebrated her 80th birthday on August 5. A statement was shared by her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, on behalf of her âheartbrokenâ family.
âWe are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother, and grandmother,â the family statement reads, Associated Press reports.
Anderson is survived by her two children, Deidra Hoffman, whom Anderson shared with her second husband, Bruce Hasselberg, and Quinton Anderson Reynolds, whom she shared with her third husband, Burt Reynolds. Although Anderson and Reynolds divorced in 1994, she went on to find love with her fourth husband, Bob Flick. Reynolds would never remarry. This is their love story.
A Look Back at Loni Anderson & Burt Reynoldsâ Love Story
Anderson was celebrated for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom âWKRP in Cincinnati.â The show aired from 1978 to 1982. However, it was her next role where she would star alongside Reynolds. The 1983 film, âStroker Ace,â starred Reynolds and Anderson, and they met and fell in love during filming, People reports. The couple married in 1988 at Reynolds’ ranch in Jupiter, Florida.
Their relationship was not by any means the perfect love story, but it did start that way.
“I’m a very lucky man,” Reynolds said at the reception, People reports. “I’m surrounded by love and dear friends, and I married my best friend today.” Anderson also felt pure happiness on her wedding day, declaring, “I feel like Cinderella. I married Prince Charming.”
They Were Friends Again
In June 1993, Reynolds announced their decision to divorce. What followed was several unkind statements and allegations, but decades later, the dust appeared to settle. In a 2015 interview with People, the âBoogie Nightsâ actor admitted how deeply he cared for Anderson.
“It was real. I really cared for her. She’s very, very special,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds died on September 6, 2018. He was 82. âWe were friends first and friends last,â Anderson told Closer Weekly in June 2019. âItâs time to move on.â
After Reynolds’ death, Anderson thanked fans for their love and support. “Quinton and I are extremely touched by the tremendous outpouring of love and support from friends and family throughout the world,” she told FOX News in a statement. “Burt was a wonderful director and actor. He was a big part of my life for twelve years and Quinton’s father for thirty years. We will miss him and his great laugh.”
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