Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis took to social media to share sad news. On her personal account, the actress posted a black-and-white photo of her older sister, Kelly, who passed away on the morning of May 30 at the age of 69. Mourning her death, Jamie said that Kelly passed away in her own home: “Outdoors. At peace.”
“She was my first friend and confidant for life,” the star continued, talking about her sister and noting that Kelly “was stunningly beautiful and a talented actress.” “She was great at the cruel game of hearts, collected turtles, loved her family, nature, music, thrift store shopping, traveling, and Pokémon Go.” She was proud of her Danish and Hungarian-Jewish heritage and was a devout American patriot.
Jamie noted that her sister “will be remembered for her loving generosity, her uncompromising spirit, her endless curiosity, her unique style, and the crescent-shaped almond cookies she baked at Christmas that earned her the nickname Auntie Cookie,” and recalled that Kelly “always ended any message or wish with a Hungarian blessing…Isten Veled, may the Lord be with you.”
Isten Veled to my sister of the sun and moon, my Taya. “See you later,” the Oscar winner concluded her heartfelt speech.
Kelly, born in 1956, was the first of two children in the family of film legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, who divorced in 1962 after 11 years of marriage. The Curtis sisters grew up in Los Angeles and, like their famous parents, made a career in film. However, Kelly’s career was not as bright as her sister’s. She starred in TV series in the 1980s, but left acting early on to focus on her family life. In 1989, Kelly married playwright Scott Morphy. The elder Curtis rarely appeared in public and preferred to stay in the shadow of her famous relative. Nevertheless, the sisters maintained a close relationship throughout their lives.
