John Travolta Shares Tribute to Grease Costar Susan Buckner: 'We Will Miss You!'

John Travolta recalls his “special” Fat actress Susan Buckner.

A day after Buckner’s family’s publicist told PEOPLE that the actress “died peacefully on May 2 surrounded by loved ones,” Travolta, 70, shared a sweet tribute to her in an Instagram Stories post.

“You created Susan Fat so much more special! We’ll miss you!” Travolta wrote under two photos of Buckner.

In the beloved 1978 musical, Buckner played Patty Simcox, a cheerful Rydell High cheerleader and friend of Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John).

John Travolta Tribute to Susan Buckner.

John Travolta/instagram; courtesy of Samantha Mansfield

Recalling her co-stars’ antics while speaking with PEOPLE during the film’s 20th anniversary, Buckner said, “We were so bad. Almost everyone would come in twos [or] three hours late. They had to bring us all and give us a lecture.”

She gushed about her experience, telling PEOPLE in 1998 that her kids “don’t believe me when I tell them I’m really hip, I’m really cool.”

After her death, Buckner’s daughter Samantha Mansfield remembered her mother as someone who was a “light.”

Olivia Newton-John and Susan Buckner in ‘Grease’.

Courtesy of Samantha Mansfield

Fat Actress Susan Buckner, who played Sandy’s cheerleader friend Patty Simcox, has died at 72.

“The light she brought to every room will be forever missed. She was magical and I was so lucky to call her my best friend,” Mansfield shared with PEOPLE.

Long before he started acting, Buckner competed in pageants. One of her most notable titles includes winning the Miss Washington pageant in 1971, and she represented her state in the Miss America pageant the following year.

One of her early acting roles included being a member of The Golddiggers, an all-female singing and dancing group appearing on The Dean Martin Show.

Tribute to celebrities who died in 2024

Susan Buckner.

Courtesy of Samantha Mansfield

Other notable credits include appearances on The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, The boat of loveand The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew mysteries.

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After leaving acting, Buckner directed children’s theater at an elementary school in Florida and worked as a dance instructor at a Coral Gables gym.

In addition to Mansfield, Buckner is survived by son Adam Josephs, grandchildren Oliver, Riley, Abigail and Ruby, as well as her sister Linda, daughter-in-law Noel Josephs, son-in-law Adam Mansfield and longtime partner Al.

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