Jaws actress Lee Fierro dies of coronavirus complications age 91

Fierro, who portrayed Alex Kintner's (Jeffrey Voorhees) mum in the two films, died of complications from the pandemic. Kevin Ryan, artistic director and board president for the Island Theatre Workshop, shared the news with Martha's Vineyard Times.

"The one word I would think of when I think of Lee is dedication. I’ve watched her as a performer, director and businesswoman, and then we became friends. She was my teacher and mentor," Ryan said.

"I would still call Lee for artistic discussion and commentary… She was fiercely dedicated to the mission of teaching. She, no matter what it was, would stay at it and get the job done."

The workshop was a program Fierro championed during her 40-plus years on the island. According to Ryan, Fierro taught and mentored more than 1,000 children in the theatre.
Though she didn't have many acting credits outside of the Jaws franchise, Fierro spent more than 25 years as artistic director of the Island Theatre Workshop and continued to assist there well into her 80s.

Fierro's family are said to be having a small ceremony in her honour due to social distancing restrictions.

Fierro is survived by her five children: Melanie Stephens; Anthony Stephens and his wife, Jami; Doug Keeler; Dinah Hodgson and her husband, John; and Ethan Fierro; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.