Peggy Lipton’s daughter pays tribute to late ‘Mod Squad’ star: ‘I will never not miss you’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kidada Jones broke her silence a month after her mother’s passing.
Peggy Lipton, the actress who first gained fame on “The Mod Squad” in the 1960s and then attracted a new generation of fans of “Twin Peaks,” passed away in May of this year. The Los Angeles Times reported the 72-year-old and former wife of music producer Quincy Jones succumbed to cancer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jones, who is “Parks and Recreation” alum Rashida Jones’ older sister, wrote a heartbreaking tribute to the late star, which was accompanied by a childhood photo.
“There is a sacredness in tears,” the 45-year-old began her moving message with a quote from writer Washington Irving. “They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love ~ Washington Irving.”
“My previous Mommy Our love existed before we did,” continued Jones. “We were a constant prayer in each other’s hearts that manifested on this material plane. Our bond knows no beginning and no end. Our souls… intertwined in an eternal dance of destiny, for I know we will meet up again and again.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Although my being aches deeply for your physical presence, I pray you are enveloped in that infinite space of knowing and love. May God and every heavenly host meet you where heaven and earth touch and gently guide you on your soul journey. May you be reunited with the source we all begin from an end with. God.”
The actress concluded, “You are my north star, the light of my life and I will FOREVER savor the privilege and good fortune of being your daughter. I will never not miss you. I will slowly learn to live without the piece of me that left with you on May 11th. Endless love, Kidada. Sending big hearts and love to anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lipton’s passing was originally announced by Jones and her sibling.
“She made her journey peacefully with her daughters and nieces by her side,” Lipton’s daughters said in a statement, according to the L.A. Times. “We feel so lucky for every moment we spent with her.”
Lipton was born in New York in 1946 and began modeling at age 15, the L.A. Times reported. When she began acting, she appeared on shows such as "Bewitched," and "The Magical World of Disney," before winning the role of Julie Barnes on "The Mod Squad."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 1968-1973 police drama series was groundbreaking because it was one of the first TV shows to acknowledge the counterculture and also featured an interracial cast, the Times noted.
Peggy Lipton circa 1969. (Photo by Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
When Lipton married Quincy, who is black, in 1974, she again found herself as something of a trailblazer.
“I never saw myself as trend-setting,” Lipton told the L.A. Times in 1993. “We were always working. Fame really drove me into my house. I was very paranoid. I didn’t like going out. I had no idea how to be comfortable with the press. I was very young. It was really hard for me.”
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In recent years Lipton watched daughter Rashida, 43, become a successful actress, with roles on series including "The Office."
Fox News’ Dom Calicchio contributed to this report.