Della Reese

Had four children: Deloreese Daniels Owens (1961-March 14, 2002, adopted), James, Franklin, and Dominique. Her daughter Deloreese was her adopted child whom she acquired from a family member unable to care for her. Owens died on March 14, 2002. It was never released whether she died from suicide or from complications stemming from pituitary disease leaving behind two children, ages 19 and 21.

Is an ordained minister. She officiated at the wedding of "Touched by an Angel" co-star Roma Downey. She is the godmother of Downeys daughter, Reilly Marie.

Suffered a stroke on the set of "The Tonight Show" . [3 October 1980].

Best known by the public for her starring role as Tess on "Touched by an Angel" .

Earned $50,000 an episode - increased from $40,000 - for "Touched by an Angel" in 1997.

Was good friends with Roma Downey before "Touched by an Angel" and remained so after the show was concluded.

Her mother, Nellie, had children many years before young Delloreese was born, none of whom lived with her afterwards.

When Della was a young girl in the 1940s, she and her mother would go to the movies to watch Joan Crawford , Lena Horne and Bette Davis portraying glamorous lives on-screen.

Her father, Richard Early, died in 1959.

She was the youngest performer, at age 22, to have the vocal range to match the best in in jazz music, such as Ella Fitzgerald , Carmen McRae and Sarah Vaughan.

She had 7 favorite pastimes: singing, watching movies, spending time with her family, reading the Bible, swimming, cooking and playing games.

In 1969 she got out of a swimming pool and, trying to avoid stepping on a large piece of glass, fell through a glass door. She underwent surgery for a severe laceration.

Television personality Ed Sullivan helped her get her bookings in Las Vegas, which were rare for an African-American singer back in the early 1950s.

Had dropped and shortened her name from Early to Reese knowing it was too big for one clubs marquee.

Met Vermont Taliaferro in church for years until she married him in 1951. They divorced in 1953.

In 1953 she signed a singing contract with Jubilee Records, her first.

Friends with: Shirley Jones , Angela Lansbury , Marion Ross , Betty White , Bea Arthur , Charlotte Rae , Marla Gibbs , Jacke Harry , Florence Henderson , Valerie Harper , Carol Burnett , Kirk Douglas , Ernest Borgnine , Gavin MacLeod , Ted Lange , Redd Foxx , Nipsey Russell , Kristoff St. John , Ed Sullivan , Johnny Carson , Larry King , Bob Hope , Frank Sinatra , Sammy Davis Jr. , Dean Martin , Rosa Parks , Maya Angelou , Abby Dalton , Ruta Lee , Patty Duke , James Komack , Martin Lawrence , Alfre Woodard , Oprah Winfrey , Ossie Davis , Ruby Dee , Billy Graham , Robert H. Schuller , Pat Robertson , Tim Reid , Dick Gregory and Eddie Murphy.

In 1944, Mahalia Jackson was at her church and was impressed with Dellas voice.

Gospel legend Mahalia Jackson was so impressed with Dellas singing that she invited her on a Southern Tour when Della was only 13.

Her mother, Nellie, died in 1949 from a cerebral hemorrhage.

Feuded with her father after her mothers passing, which led to her moving out of the house at age 18.

Graduated from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan in 1947, at only 15 yrs. old. She was the first in her family to graduate early.

In 2007 she officiated for the second time--she is an ordained minister--at a wedding of her ex- "Touched by an Angel" co-star Roma Downey s, in which she married reality television show producer Mark Burnett in 2007.

Composed the "Touched by an Angel" theme song, "Walk With You".

Della appeared in all the episodes of "Touched by an Angel" , with the exception of two, during the final season.

Is an ordained minister at the Understanding Principles for Better Living Church in Los Angeles, California.

Had a recording contract with RCA Records in 1957.

Developed type 2 diabetes, which may have been precipitated by years of eating her old nightly snacks of fried chicken, potato chips, ice cream, candy bars and cola.

Toured with Mahalia Jackson for three summers.

On one of the tapings of "The Royal Family" , she found out about one of Redd Foxx s rituals he had done, years after he was doing "Sanford and Son" , assuming all of this was a joke. In fact, she actually heard it, for real, Foxx collapsed on the set and had a heart attack, where he was taken to a hospital and died in 1991. She attended his funeral later in the year.

As a teenager, she was often chosen as a featured singer on radio.

She was the daughter of Nellie/Nelly (Mitchelle), a cook, and Richard Thaddeus Early, a steel worker, ladies man, and gambler. Her parents, who were from Tennessee, were African-American. Her mother was said to also have Cherokee Native American ancestry.

She formed a choir in Detroit called The Meditation Singers.

She intended to major in Psychiatry at Wayne State University, but a personal setback ended her plans.

Was the lead singer for the Erskine Hawkins Band.

Purchased a home in Beverly Hills, California in 1969.

Began singing at age 6.

Attended the same high school as future actress Ellen Burstyn , also known as: Edna Rae Gillooly.

Future talk show host and friend Larry King said he enjoyed listening to her music as a young adult.

Before she was a successful actress, she did everything from a very young age from directing a young peoples choir in church, to being a truck driver, to being a dental receptionist, to that of a switchboard girl.

Was honored at Oprah Winfrey s Legends Ball ceremony along with 25 other African-American women in 2005.

Was a longtime good friend of Kristoff St. John. They worked together on "The Young and the Restless" .

Hosted a TV talk show called Della from 1969 to 1970. Was the first African-American actress to do so.

Her idols when she was young were: Jane Wyman , Ella Fitzgerald , Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday.

Didnt start acting until she was 36.

Received a Grammy nomination for her album Della in 1960.

She and the rest of the "The Royal Family" cast paid a visit to see Redd Foxx in the hospital just hours before he died.

She was the producers first choice for the secondary lead role of Tess on "Touched by an Angel" . She was reluctant at first but went ahead and auditioned.

Victor Taliaferro assaulted her when they were married and she was hospitalized. This situation led her to divorce him.

Della dropped out of college after her mothers death when her father wouldnt allow her to finish.

Before she was a successful actress, she used to work at a nightclub with all the unfamiliar and legendary singers of the 1950s in New York City.

Through Erskine Hawkins , she also toured with Nat King Cole.

While working at the LaFlame Showbar in Detroit, Michigan, comedian Soupy Sales gave her a shot at becoming a star on television.

Appeared on "Toast of the Town" 18 times.

Was also friends with Nat King Cole s family.

Had always wanted to be a singer.

A lyric-soprano.

Appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" , 33 times.

Was a fan of "Toast of the Town" , "The Jackie Gleason Show" (1952) and "Your Show of Shows" .

Met Redd Foxx at a nightclub in Chicago, and they became best friends for 40 years.

Was a spokesperson for Campbell Soup Products in 1980.

Met Merv Griffin when she was working in New York City doing a radio show. Basically, Helen Basiley wrote a song where Griffin began singing the weather report to this groove as did Reese herself, and was hired to co-host alongside him on his talk show in the 1960s.

Her childhood friend, Marla Gibbs , attended her 80th birthday party on August 19, 2011.

Della was a longtime friend of the late Rosa Parks , and attended her funeral on November 2, 2005. Just before her death, Parks guest-starred with her on "Touched by an Angel" .

As of 2011, she was promoted from ordained minister to senior minister and founder of the Understanding Principles for Better Living Church, in Los Angeles, California.

Acting mentor and friend of Roma Downey.

Her song, Dont You Know? reached the #2 spot on the Pop Charts and topped the R&B charts in 1959, which were then called the Hot R&B Sides. The song was adapted from Puccinis music for La Bohme; specifically, the aria Musettas Waltz.

Childhood friend of Marla Gibbs.

Was a fan of "The Jackie Gleason Show" (1952) and "Toast of the Town" .

Worked with longtime friend Marla Gibbs on episodes of both series "227" and "Touched by an Angel" .

Her eldest sister was age 20 when Della was born.

Was a fan of both shows: "The Jackie Gleason Show" (1952) and "Toast of the Town" .

Her father was her mothers primary caregiver while Della was in college.

Began her show "Touched by an Angel" at age 63.

A coupon collector from every Detroit church, Reese won a coupon-clipping contest sponsored by the local black paper, The Michigan Chronicle.

Began acting at an early age.

Created the character of Tess in "Touched by an Angel" .

Was born in and grew up in the Black Bottom neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan.

Future Motown singer Martha Reeves cites Reese as a major influence, and said she named her group The Vandellas after Van Dyke Street in Detroit and Della Reese.

Before she was a successful actress, she became the director of the young peoples church choir.

Lived in Westchester, New York from 1962 to 1969.

Ed Sullivan was a favorite of hers.

Became a surrogate mother to Dr. James Barger after he lost his own mother in 1969.

Met Nipsey Russell at one of the clubs in New York City. The two were good friends until Russells death in 2005.

Was a close friend of Cissy Houston and knows the entire Houston family very well. She frequently gave Cissy permission to discuss their exchanges.

Was a Republican.

Her favorite "Touched by an Angel" episode is each and every one of them.

Her favorite subject in school was music.

Every Christmas when Reese was growing up, her mother baked her favorite cake, made her favorite dinner, and made crocheted items for her.

Reese decided to become an actress because she acted out the lyrics when she was singing, and emotions came to her.

She had rheumatoid fever when she was only two.

Lives not too far from Marla Gibbs , in Inglewood, California.

On a few episodes of "Touched by an Angel" , her character shared Dellas gift for singing, in real-life, Reese was also a singer.

Every weekend for 9 seasons, she commuted from her Los Angeles house to Salt Lake City, Utah, to film "Touched by an Angel" .

Nearly died of a stroke on the set of The Tonight Show in October 1979.

Is the first gospel singer to perform in Las Vegas.

She is most widely known to be a social butterfly.

After her final guest-starring role on "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" at the age of 84, Della retired from acting.

She used a wheelchair after having two major brain surgeries in August 2016.

Sold her Beverly Hills, California mansion for $7.5 million. [7 November 2014].

The IRS Criminal Division began investigating the disappearance of nearly $2 million from vanishing church banking investments, as well as questionable/misappropriation of church funds and not paying church employees their earned wages at Understanding Principles for Better Living. [2014].

She collapsed on the set of "Touched by an Angel" , and was hospitalized. [2000].

Della Reese was featured as a special starring vocal performer on ABC Television"s first season of "The Hollywood Palace" (#01.08) hosted by MGM dancing star Gene Kelly, broadcast in B&W on a Saturday night, February 22, 1964.

In November 1960, Della Reese appeared in advertisements in Ebony magazine for the newly launched AMI Continental jukebox.

Della Reese passed away on November 19, 2017, at age 86, just one month after [Robert Guillaume ], passed away. Guillaume guest-starred with Reese on an episode of [ "Touched by an Angel" ].

Reese was married a second time, to accountant Leroy Basil Gray, who had two children by a previous marriage, was kept secret for some time. This marriage either ended in divorce, or was annulled on the basis that Grays previous divorce was invalid. [28 December 1959].

Della Reese passed away on November 19, 2017, at age 86, the same day as [Peter Baldwin ], also born in 1931, and [Charles Manson ] born in 1934, and 2 days before [David Cassidy ], born in 1950.

Her remains were cremated. Her ashes were given to her family.

Has three children: James, Franklin, and Dominique.

I was black when they hired me. They knew how old I was when they hired,me.

[Of her parents] He was the toastmaster in our neighborhood. My father,was a man who knew how to walk the walk and talk the talk. My mother,was the kind of woman who when she looked you in the eyes, you stood at,attention.

[In 1998] I had done what I set out to do: I had the money, the gowns,the jewelry and I was happy to have them, but they did not make me,happy. My daughter filled that void: she saved my life.

[on being a talk show hostess] I was tired of the road, and doing TV,meant I could stay home. It was very obvious to me I was the first,black woman with her own show when one executive told me they had a,hard time finding sponsors because my gums were blue.

"Touched by an Angel" (1994) gave me a chance to speak on the,things that I espouse, and "Faith in Action" also gives me a chance to,do that".

I use February 14 as the day to remember all the men in my life. Not,just boyfriends, but business associates too. I show them I care by,sending floral arrangements. [Why are they only sent to women? Men,enjoy flowers too!] My beau gets gardenias and my colleagues get,plants. When they receive them, they know I really do care.

But for year number one and number two and number three, whatever Roma,received, I received equal parts. This year, I did not.

[In 2001] But what people must realize is that time is of the essence.

You must know the warning signs of a stroke, and you must seek,emergency assistance immediately.

[Of her 1980 stroke] I was in the middle of the song when my body began,to twitch uncontrollably. Before I knew it, I fell to my knees in front,of everyone and was suddenly unconscious.

[In 1993] I never intended to become a minister, I wanted to teach these,principles. But I had so many requests for people wanting me to,officiate weddings and funerals and such that I finally asked God and,he told me to do it.

[on the cancellation of "Touched by an Angel" (1994) ] This is a,business of ratings. When the show was on Sunday, we were a program,that people came home and extended their Sunday services with. People,are out on Saturday nights. It changed our audience base.

[When she was asked to play the lead on,"Touched by an Angel" (1994) ]: This was a gift from God.

Somebody else was supposed to do this part, and they could not do it,for physical reasons. I worked with Martha Williamson for almost 10,years on Touched by an Angel, and she called and asked me if I would,come and do the part. She had a time schedule, so I went to do it and,found out the show is really charming. There are some very interesting,young people to work with.

My doctor explained that exercise and diet changes might help and that I also might need a medication.

When you really believe in God, it gives you a courage, a confidence that enables you to meet the things coming.