American actor Suzanne Somers died at the age of 76 after a long battle with cancer, on Saturday.

With the actor's birthday on October 17 (Monday), her family gathered to celebrate her life. "Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly," her family said in a statement.

Suzanne started her career by playing minor parts in TV shows like The Love Boat, One Day at a Time in the late 1960s and early 70s. Later, she played the role of Chrissy Snow in Three's Company in 1977. The actor appeared in five of the eight seasons and eventually left the show following being fired over pay dispute. In 1990s, she played the lead role in Step by Step that ran for seven seasons.

Suzanne was later diagnosed with breast cancer and had been taking treatment for it.

Suzanne is survived by her husband and son. Her last rites are scheduled to take place next week.