Ron Ely, the actor best known for playing Tarzan on TV in the 1960s, has died at 86. He stepped away from acting in 2001, though he appeared once more in the 2014 film Expecting Amish.
In 2019, the family faced a devastating tragedy when Ely’s wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely—62, a former flight attendant who held the titles Miss Airline International 1980 and Miss Florida USA 1981—was fatally stabbed at their Santa Barbara home by their 30-year-old son, Cameron. Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed Cameron at the scene after determining he posed a threat.
Ron and Valerie had been married for 35 years and shared three children: Kirsten, Kaitland (who welcomed a son in 2018), and Cameron. In 2020, Ely filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the sheriff’s department.
