Danielle Spencer on What's Happening.

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

For a generation, she was the wisecracking little sister on TV’s What’s Happening!!

But Danielle Spencer’s legacy stretched far beyond the spotlight.

Spencer, who charmed audiences as Dee Thomas on the hit late 1970s ABC-TV sitcom and later became a respected veterinarian and animal advocate, died Monday, Aug. 11 in Richmond, Virginia, at age 60 after a long battle with cancer. 

The news was confirmed by her longtime friend and co-star Haywood Nelson via social media on Tuesday, Aug. 12.

Born June 24, 1965, in Trenton, New Jersey, Spencer moved north to New York City with her family to the Bronx, where she began acting classes at age 8. 

Cast as Dee in 1976, she quickly became a household name, known for her quick wit and memorable one-liners. 

Despite enduring a traumatic car accident in 1977 that claimed her stepfather’s life and left her in a coma, Spencer returned to the show and continued acting through her teens, including on the sequel, What’s Happening Now!!

After leaving Hollywood, Spencer reinvented herself, earning a veterinary degree from the University of California-Davis and later attending Tuskegee University. 

She dedicated her life to caring for animals, first in California and later in Richmond, Virginia, even hosting pet care segments on local television.

Spencer’s journey included public battles with spinal injuries and breast cancer, which she faced with trademark candor and resilience. 

Her memoir, “Through the Fire: Journal of a Child Star,” and her induction into the National Museum of African American History and Culture cemented her status as a trailblazer.

“She will be missed in this life and always held in our hearts,” Nelson wrote, reflecting the affection of fans and colleagues alike for Spencer.