Danielle Spencer, who grew up before America’s eyes on “What’s Happening!!,” was honored last week as family, friends and co-stars reflected on her life and legacy.

Spencer, who died Aug. 11 at age 60 from gastric cancer and cardiac arrest, was remembered during a funeral at Bon Air Baptist Church, where relatives, co-stars and friends shared stories of her quick wit, generous spirit and lifelong love of animals. 

Actor Haywood Nelson, who played Dwayne Nelson on “What’s Happening!!,” said Spencer’s talent and warmth were evident from the start. “Danielle Spencer came here ready-made,” he said. “She came here with the stuff that it takes to be all that she became, from what I could see, from the time I first met her.” 

While her brother, jazz musician Jeremy Pelt, took pride in the outpouring of condolences and the lives she touched, he said the precocious child millions watched on TV was different from the multifaceted woman she became. 

“Danielle was never ‘Dee’ to us, nor was she ever ‘Dee’ to herself,” Pelt said, “and it’s for that reason, perhaps, that those who knew her got to meet and love Danielle Spencer.” 

For nearly two hours, the service moved between general praise and intimate mourning. Official condolences from Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Richmond Mayor Danny Avula were shared alongside stories and songs from Spencer’s family, including a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by her niece, Amma. 

High-profile attendees, including actor Ralph Carter of “Good Times” and House Del. Delores McQuinn, sat in pews alongside members of the Delta Theta Sigma sorority’s Richmond alumnae chapter, church members and many other family and friends, reflecting the breadth of Spencer’s relationships. 

For Nelson, Spencer’s quick wit was matched only by her caring heart, recalling how boogie board lessons he gave her on the beaches of Malibu were once paused so she could help a sand crab on its back — a compassion that would later define her career as a veterinarian. 

Actress and director Kim Fields, meanwhile, fondly recalled the two growing up as children in the film industry, first in their native city of New York and later in California, as her “big sister” provided both an “epic” Barbie collection for them to play with and lasting companionship. 

“Even though we are a part of a very tiny community of little Black girls on TV, it didn’t stop there,” Fields said. 

Spencer’s life wasn’t without hardships, as a 1977 car crash killed her stepfather, left her in a coma for three weeks and resulted in injuries that led to further health complications years later. She was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, leading to a double mastectomy, and underwent emergency brain surgery in 2018. 

Despite these challenges, Spencer remained bright and resilient, her legacy enduring both in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, where she was honored in 2016, and in the hearts of those who knew her best. 

“Though my heart is forever broken and though I won’t be okay for a long time,” Pelt said, “I know right now, in this very moment, that I still have a sister and I’ve been talking to her every day. I love you, Danielle. I’m so glad I got to tell you over and over again, I love you.”