Bonni Lou Kern, an original member of "The Mickey Mouse Club," has died at 79. The star died of natural causes in Wooster, Ohio, on Monday, according to Deadline. Kern's daughter, Allyson, confirmed the news on Wednesday to Facebook.
"(Love) You Mom. You will be missed by All," she wrote in a post that included black and white images of her mother in her teenage years.
Actor Chasen Hampton, who was a Mouseketeer in "The All-New Mickey Mouse Club" revival, also took to social media to honor Kern's memory.
"Paying respect this morning to one of our MMC older sisters. #BonniLouKern from the Original 50’s #MickeyMouseClub has passed away," he tweeted. "She was an incredible talent and will be missed greatly by her fans and #Disney family."
Kern was born Jan. 2, 1941 in Alhambra, California, according to her obituary. She appeared in "The Mickey Mouse Club" between 1955 and 1956 and featured in a spinoff film, "Save the Wonder Mouseketeers!" Kern's appearance as a Mouseketeer earned her the Mousecar Award and the key to Fantasy Land. Several years after she shot to fame, she met and married Harold "Bud" Carr.
Kern's career in television was short-lived but she did find a home working at Lowe’s Home Improvement, according to her family. She is survived by her daughters Kimberly Ellington, Allyson Struzan, and Janet; six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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