Tarzan star Ron Ely’s tragic final years after son stabbed wife Valerie to death

Actor Ron Ely, who is best known for being the star of the 1960s Tarzan TV series, has died at the age of 86.

His final years were shrouded in tragedy, and his death comes five years after his second wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was killed in tragic circumstances at the couple’s home in California.

The former flight attendant was fatally stabbed by their son, Cameron Ely, in the family’s home in Santa Barbara, at the age of 62.

Cameron was fatally shot at the scene by authorities with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

Ron, who retired from acting in 2001 (apart from a brief appearance in TV movie Expecting Amish in 2014), and his wife Valerie were married for 35 years before her death.

The couple had three children together, Kirsten, Kaitland, and Cameron.

Who was Ron Ely’s wife Valerie Lundeen?

Ron Ely’s wife was Valerie Lundeen, a devoted mother who once worked as a flight attendant and won Miss Airline International, a beauty pageant for flight attendants, in 1980.

A year later, Valerie was crowned Miss FloridaUSA in a beauty pageant in 1981, and she would later compete for the title of Miss USA.

Valerie Lundeen sat on Ron Ely's lap at the Third Annual Cathy's Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic.

Her future husband, Ron, also had associations with the world of pageants, having hosted the Miss America competition for two years in a row in 1980 and 1981.

Ron and Valerie got married in 1984 and had three children. The couple became grandparents for the first time in 2018 when their daughter Kaitland gave birth to her first child, a little boy.

Valerie was 62 years old when she was killed.

Related Posts

My Sister Ruined My Graduation to Remind Me I’m Not ‘Really’ Family

When I was adopted at ten, I gained a sister—Ava—who leaned in that first night and whispered, “You ruined my life. I’ll ruin yours.” I thought she…

The Secret Behind the Upside-Down Stair Baluster That Most People Miss

I’ve lived in several multi-story homes, some with beautiful staircases, but I never noticed anything unusual — until recently. After moving into a new house, I started…

The Officer Came to Arrest Her—But Rescued a Puppy Instead

I was on my porch sipping lukewarm coffee when the patrol car rolled up across the street. It parked right in front of Miss Lillian’s place—you know,…

I Found a Child Abandoned Next Door — What I Did Changed Both Our Lives Forever

When a mysterious family moved into the long-abandoned house next door, I couldn’t help but notice how strange they seemed—especially the little girl who played alone in…

When Jennifer Spoke: A Month Into Motherhood

A month had flown by since we officially became a family of three. After months of planning, forms, and background checks, Richard and I finally brought little…

Farmer discovers strange eggs in his field – experts offer surprising explanation

A Routine Walk Turned Discovery During a quiet morning stroll through his soybean field, 64-year-old farmer Thomas noticed something odd. After overnight rain, his soil was damp,…