Joan Staley, a former actress and model who starred in films such as The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and Roustabout, died on November 24, 2019, at the age of 79. She had a long and varied career in Hollywood, appearing in dozens of movies and TV shows from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. She was also Playboy’s Playmate of the Month for November 1958. But what was Joan Staley’s cause of death? How did she die? Here are some facts you need to know.
Heart Failure
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joan Staley died of heart failure at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, California. Heart failure is a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. It can be caused by various factors, such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, infections, or congenital heart defects. Some of the symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the legs or abdomen, irregular heartbeat, and chest pain. Heart failure can be treated with medications, lifestyle changes, surgery, or devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators. However, it can also be fatal if not managed properly.
Previous Health Problems
Joan Staley had a history of health problems that may have contributed to her heart failure. In 1966, she broke her back in a horseback riding accident that curtailed her acting career. She underwent several surgeries and had to wear a brace for a year. She also suffered from arthritis and fibromyalgia, which caused her chronic pain and inflammation. She was an avid consumer activist and served as a national director of Fight Inflation Together, a grassroots organization that advocated for lower prices and better quality of goods and services. She also worked as a religious counselor for troubled teenage boys.
Family and Legacy
Joan Staley was survived by her husband of 52 years, Dale Sheets, a former Universal executive. They had three children together: Stephanie, Greg, and Dina. She also had a daughter, Sherrye, from her first marriage to TV director Chuck Staley. She had seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was remembered by her family and friends as a loving, generous, and talented woman who had a passion for music, art, and animals. She was also praised by her fans and colleagues for her beauty, charm, and versatility as an actress and model. She left behind a legacy of memorable roles in films such as Cape Fear, A New Kind of Love, Gunpoint, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, Batman, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Broadside, Mission: Impossible, Ironside, Adam-12, and Dallas.
