Jill Jacobson, 70, has died after a “long illness.”

The actress, best known for her role in Star Trek: The next generationhad recently recovered from esophageal cancer after suffering from the disease for over two and a half years.

Jacobson died on December 8 at Culver West Health Center in Culver City, California, according to her close friend and publicist Dan Harary Hollywood Reporter.

“Beautiful, energetic and positive to the end, she will be sorely missed by numerous family, friends and her beloved dogs Benny and Kowalski,” he said.

The star first gained fame for her role as Erin Jones, a morally dubious character Falcon Crest in 1985. She starred in the series for 21 episodes and finally left in 1987.

She then performed Star Trek: The Next Generation as Vanessa in the episode “The Royale” in 1989 and as Chalan Aroya in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Episode “Broken Link” in 1996.

After she was diagnosed with cancer, Jacobson volunteered as a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society and received numerous awards for her work.

“What I went through was pretty intense. You can’t function, you just can’t function,” she said at the time.

Open image in gallery

“And now I’m so grateful, I just want to keep going, I want to help people. It makes you want to help people.”

Her latest project, a TV show called Cheerfulis currently in production and will be released next year, according to TMZ.

Jacobson’s other appearances include American sitcoms Who is the boss?, Party down, The new gadgetAnd House Usher. According to her IMDB, the star has also served as an executive producer, including on short films Mic whore and on the 2005 film, The circle.

Open image in gallery

“Jill’s comic timing was brilliant,” says Jacobson’s Caryn Richman The new gadget co-star said. “And her enthusiasm and love for life made our time together on set a joyful time.”

Jacobson was born in Texas and was married to Waitress! And Murphy Brown Actor Paul Dorman after a ceremony in 2001. The couple shared three children together.