A very sad time for Road to Avonlea fans all over the world, as we received the news that Jackie Burroughs, who played Aunt Hetty, passed away Wednesday at the age of 71. The acclaimed stage and screen actress had been battling stomach cancer for a long time. She was surrounded by friends and family upon her passing.
Burroughs’ legacy as a star in both television, film and on the stage has been recognized over the years with several prestigious awards, including the Earle Grey lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television and the Governor General’s Performing Arts award for lifetime achievement.
The British-born actress had several memorable movie roles in films like A Winter Tan, which she directed and wrote, and The Grey Fox. She starred in productions at Stratford, such as The Merchant of Venice, and co-starred with Peter O’Toole in the plays Uncle Vanya and Present Laughter, to name just a few of her accomplishments.
But she was perhaps most fondly recognized by fans all over the world for her endearing portrayal of the indomitable Hetty King, which we will be paying tribute to in the coming days.
Burroughs leaves behind her daughter, Zoe Yanovsky, her two grandchildren, her brother and extended family.
