John Dye starred on “Touched by an Angel’’ with Roma Downey (left) and Della Reese.
(Cliff Lipson/CBS)
SAN FRANCISCO — Actor John Dye, whose career included the role of Andrew, the angel of death, in the long-running television series “Touched by an Angel,’’ was found dead at his San Francisco home, a medical examiner’s spokesman said Thursday. He was 47.
Charles Cecil, a medical examiner’s investigator, said that Mr. Dye, a native of Amory, Miss., was found dead Monday.
The cause of death has not been determined, Cecil said, but relatives said Mr. Dye suffered apparent heart failure.
WREG-TV in Memphis reported that Mr. Dye’s father, Jim Dye, said his actor son “was very giving, had a lot of causes that he supported real well, Make a Wish Foundation, AIDS research.’’
The Cleveland Daily Banner reported Thursday that while living in the community as a youngster, Dye was involved in a children’s theater group and in the 1990s helped to reestablish it.
As news of Mr. Dye’s death began to spread Thursday afternoon, his “Touched by an Angel’’ costar, Valerie Bertinelli, posted a message to him on her Twitter account: “Dear, sweet John Dye, rest in peace.’’
A University of Memphis theater major, Mr. Dye’s early work included the martial arts movie “The Best of the Best’’ and small roles on “Murder, She Wrote’’ and other television shows.
He landed the part of the Angel of Death on “Touched by an Angel’’ in 1994 and appeared in all nine seasons of the 
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