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“On behalf of the entire Cassidy family, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, our uncle, and our dear brother, David Cassidy,” Jo-Ann Geffen, president and CEO of JAG Entertainment, said in a statement published by NBC.
"David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long."
Cassidy had also battling dementia and needed a liver transplant, USA Today reported over the weekend.
In February, Cassidy revealed his devastating diagnosis and stopped touring as a musician. His grandfather and mother both suffered from dementia, Cassidy told People magazine.
Cassidy is best known for his role as Keith on “The Partridge Family,” a sitcom about a widowed mom and her five children who form a pop band. He became a teen heartthrob and toured the world singing hit songs from the show, including "I Think I Love You."
Cassidy's personal struggles in the last few years have included divorce, bankruptcy, DUI arrests and drug rehab.
Related story: Former Ridgefield Resident David Cassidy Reveals He's Battling Dementia
In the late 1990s, Cassidy lived in a 1930s house on 4 acres on Olmstead Lane in Ridgefield for nearly three years with wife and family. They ultimately moved because of his work in Las Vegas, the West Coast and on the road.
In a Feb. 7 message to fans, posted on his official website, www.davidcassidy.com , Cassidy said he would “always be eternally grateful for the love and support” they have shown him.
“I still love very much to play and perform live. But it’s much more difficult for me now,” he said.
Cassidy, who got an Emmy nod for his appearance on “Police Story” in 1978, also was a guest star on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” in 2013.
Born in New York City, he is the son of singer/actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward. Shirley Jones, who played his mom on “The Partridge Family,” was Cassidy’s real-life stepmother. Cassidy lived for a while with Jones, his father and his stepbrothers at their home in Irvington, N.Y.
Click here for the story at NBC News.
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