New details have been shared about the death of Kelly Lee Curtis, the actress and older sister of Jamie Lee Curtis, after Jamie announced that her sister had died at 69.
The Blaine County coroner’s office in Idaho confirmed that Curtis died of natural causes, according to E! News. The office also said she had been in hospice care during the week before her death on May 30. Her husband, John Marsh, was present when the coroner arrived.
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Jamie Lee Curtis Announced Her Sister’s Death With a Personal Tribute
Jamie Lee Curtis first shared the news of her sister’s death in an Instagram tribute on May 30.
She described Kelly as her “first friend and lifelong confidant” and remembered her as a talented actress with a distinct personality, strong opinions, and a deep love of family, nature, music, travel, and Pokémon Go.
People reported that Jamie’s tribute also highlighted Kelly’s Danish roots and Hungarian Jewish ancestry. Jamie ended the message with a Hungarian blessing Kelly often used, “Isten Veled,” meaning “God is with you.”
Kelly Curtis Came From One of Hollywood’s Most Famous Families
Kelly was the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, two major stars whose careers made the Curtis family one of Hollywood’s most recognizable acting families.
Jamie followed their parents into a much more public career, but Kelly also spent years working in film, television, and theater.
Her first onscreen appearance came as a child in the 1958 film The Vikings, which starred her parents. She later appeared in Trading Places, Magic Sticks, The Devil’s Daughter, and television series including The Equalizer, Hunter, Silk Stalkings, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and The Sentinel.
Her Career Also Included Work Behind the Camera
Kelly’s life in entertainment was not limited to acting.
Rolling Stone noted that she worked behind the scenes on some of Jamie’s films, including Freaky Friday and You Again. Her last onscreen role was in a 1999 episode of Judging Amy.
In later years, Kelly also directed documentaries. Her work included Marby Jets Are Go, a 2018 documentary about an Australian high school track team, and Curling in Stanley, a 2019 project about an outdoor curling tournament in Stanley, Idaho.
She Built a Creative Life in Idaho With Her Husband
An obituary shared through Wood River Chapel said Kelly and her husband, John Marsh, moved to Bellevue, Idaho, where they became a creative team through Liberty Films.
The obituary said they made films and documentaries about local artists, musicians, and the natural beauty around them.
It also described Kelly as someone who lived with generosity, service, and a deep love of natural beauty. Within the family, she was affectionately known as “Auntie Cookie,” a nickname connected to the powdered almond crescent cookies she made at Christmas.
The New Details Clarify Her Final Days
The coroner’s confirmation gives the public more information about Kelly’s final days without changing the message her family shared first.
Jamie remembered her sister not only as part of a Hollywood family, but as someone whose private life, humor, interests, and loyalty shaped the people closest to her.
Kelly is survived by her husband, John Marsh, her siblings, nieces, nephews, and extended family. Her obituary closed with the same blessing Jamie shared in her tribute: “Isten Veled.”