Mary Frances Luecke, born on February 27, 1943, in St. Louis, Missouri, began her career as a child model and television commercial actress. At the tender age of eighteen, she won the prestigious title of America's Junior Miss, which marked the beginning of her journey in the world of entertainment.
Mary attended Northwestern University, where she studied drama, but dropped out in 1964 to pursue her passion for acting. She moved to Chicago, where she hosted a morning talk show and appeared in local theater productions. Her big break came in 1966 with her film debut in Nashville Rebel, starring the legendary Waylon Jennings.
In 1969, Mary moved to Los Angeles to star in the television series My Friend Tony, where she became close friends and roommates with actress Joan Van Ark. On August 11, 1973, she married T.J. Escott, an actor and talent agent.
Mary's career flourished, with starring roles on Days Of Our Lives from 1974 to 1979 and guest appearances on numerous television shows, including Fantasy Island, The Rockford Files, WKRP in Cincinnati, Hotel, Hawaii Five-O, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. However, her marriage to Escott came to an end in 1982, and she went on to star in the hit television series Newhart from 1982 to 1990.
In her personal life, Mary struggled with her weight, taking diet pills, counting calories, and exercising daily. After her divorce, she fell in love with John E. Cookman Jr., an insurance executive, and the two decided to get married in late 1998.
Tragically, Mary's life was cut short on September 22, 1998, when she passed away in her sleep from a heart attack at the age of 55. Her recent diet had apparently put too much pressure on her heart, and she was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Her fiancé, John, described her as a "wonderful woman" and expressed his desire to spend the rest of his life with her.
