Jane Galloway Heitz, 'Glee' Actress, Dead at 78

Jane Galloway
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The actress died on Nov. 13 of congestive heart failure at a hospital in Highland Park, Illinois.

Jane Galloway Heitz, who portrayed Lillian Adler on Glee, has died. She was 78.

Galloway Heitz died on Nov. 13 of congestive heart failure at a hospital in Highland Park, Illinois. The actress daughter, Amie Richardson, confirmed to ET on Thursday.

Galloway Heitz's late Glee character was the former head of the glee club at McKinley High, and her plaque -- which featured her birth and death years (1937-1997) and the phrase, "By its very definition, Glee is about opening yourself up to joy" -- was famously displayed in a trophy case at the school. 

Born in Minneapolis on Sept. 18, 1941, Galloway Heitz attended the University of Minnesota and moved to Chicago in her early 20s. 

In addition to the long-running Ryan Murphy series, Galloway Heitz made appearances on several popular TV shows over the years, including Shameless, The Big Bang Theory, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Prison Break. She was also a former casting agent, helping stars like Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert and Eric Stonestreet enhance their careers before they were famous.

A funeral for Galloway Heitz will be held on Nov. 30, at the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour in Elmhurst, Illinois, while memorials are being arranged in Chicago and Los Angeles as well.

Galloway Heitz is survived by her daughter, Amie, and grandchildren, Claire Emmaline, Jack Henry and William Mark.