Widow of Legendary Singer Sammy Davis, Jr. Has Died

Altovise Davis, the wife of late performer Sammy Davis, Jr., has died at age 65, according to the Associated Press. The L.A. Times reports that Davis suffered a stroke and was hospitalized on Thursday, and passed away on Saturday afternoon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Davis was the singer's third wife, after Davis Jr.'s failed marriages to dancer Loray White in 1950 and actress Mai Britt in 1960. The pair met when they performed together in the Broadway musical, Golden Boy, in 1967, and wed in 1970. They adopted a son, Manny, and remained together until Davis Jr. died in 1990 at age 64, following a battle with throat cancer.

Following the singer's death, Davis was left to contend with a crushing IRS bill and the $2.5 million mortgage on her Beverly Hills home, according to Monsters and Critics. Last year, Davis sued two former business partners in federal court, alleging that they tricked her into signing over the rights to her estate. The suit is currently pending.

Davis also organized several philanthropic groups, including SHARE, Inc., a nonprofit organization that raises money for developmentally disabled, abused and neglected children. A private memorial service is currently being planned for the late actress.