Nancy Parsons was a talented American actress who appeared in many films and TV shows, but she is best remembered for her role as Beulah Balbricker, the strict gym teacher in the 1982 comedy Porky’s and its sequels. She also played Ida, the cannibalistic farmer’s sister in the 1980 horror comedy Motel Hell. Parsons had a distinctive voice and a knack for playing eccentric and memorable characters. But how did she die and what was her cause of death?
Early Life and Career
Nancy Anne Parsons was born on January 17, 1942, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Mary Margaret (née Samsa) and Charles Walter Parsons. She had two sisters, Mary Jean and Theresa Mae. When she was 17, her father remarried Genevieve Stack and moved with the three girls to South Pasadena, California. It was there that Parsons developed an interest in acting and won a full scholarship to the Pasadena Playhouse, where she studied from 1960 to 1962.
Parsons married Alan Hipwell in 1964 and had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret. She took a break from acting to raise her family, but resumed her career in 1974 after divorcing her husband. She won the Hugh O’Brian Acting Award at UCLA, which helped her get noticed by agents and casting directors. She made her film debut in I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977) and went on to appear in many movies and TV shows, such as American Raspberry (1977), The Lady in Red (1979), Where the Buffalo Roam (1980), Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), Smokey Bites the Dust (1981), Pennies from Heaven (1981), Sudden Impact (1983), Quarterback Princess (1983), Homer and Eddie (1989), Steel Magnolias (1989), Loose Cannons (1990), The Doctor (1991), Death Falls (1991), Ladybugs (1992) and Wishman (1992).
She also guest-starred in popular shows like Remington Steele, Baretta, Charlie’s Angels, The Rockford Files, Lou Grant, Family Ties and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She had a recurring role as Mary Brooke/Nurse Jackson in Days of Our Lives from 1994 to 1996.
Death and Legacy
Parsons died on January 5, 2001, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, at the age of 58. According to Wikipedia, her cause of death was diabetes and congestive heart failure. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered at sea.
Parsons left behind a rich legacy of performances that showcased her versatility and comedic timing. She was nominated for an Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Award for Best Supporting Actress for Motel Hell and won a Family Film Award for Best Actress for Porky’s Revenge. She also received a Dramalogue Award for the play Dead End at Sunset and a Woman of the Year Award from the Alumni Association of the Pasadena Playhouse.
Parsons was admired by her fans and colleagues for her passion, courage and professionalism. She once said that art was the noblest of paths one could follow. She is survived by her daughters Elizabeth and Margaret, and their children Cassidy and Jasper.
