Rocci Chatfield, Days of our Lives and Generations Writer, Dead at 93
Tuesday, September 10th, 2019
Daytime Emmy nominated soap opera writer passes away.
Soaps.com is sad to report that television and daytime scriptwriter Roccina “Rocci” Chatfield passed away on August 24 of natural causes in Los Angeles. Her death was reported on Twitter by the Writers Guild of America West. She was 93.
Chatfield was born in Boulder, Colorado, and attended Massachusetts’ Endicott College. She was a member of the Television Academy for over 40 years and served as Governor of the Writers Peer Group for six terms. She also served two terms on the Academy’s Executive Committee. Additionally, she produced notable Academy events, such as the popular Inside panel series, along with an annual Family Day celebration and special evenings with such stars as Tony Bennett and Liza Minnelli. She also wrote and produced the Academy’s 60th-anniversary gala and served on numerous committees, including Hall of Fame, Daytime Awards, Governors Award, Governors Ball, Primetime Awards, Primetime Awards Show, By-Laws, Membership, Hyphenate and more. Chatfield was also a member of the Writers Guild of America and served on the negotiating committee during the 1988 writers’ strike. She was honored with the Writers Guild of America Service Award for her contributions to the organization.
Her television career began in the 1960s writing on shows such as Family Affair and My Three Sons, and later in the 1970s for Little House on the Prairie. She served as a scriptwriter on Days of our Lives from 1978 until 1982, during which time she was nominated for Outstanding Writing on a Daytime Drama as part of the writing team. She went on to write for the NBC soap opera Generations from 1989 until 1991 and ended her career working on a 1993 episode of Knots Landing. In acknowledgment of her professional achievements, her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, declared April 30, 2016, Rocci Chatfield Appreciation Day.
Soaps.com sends condolences to Chatfield’s friends and loved ones and invites you to browse a gallery of other members of the daytime family we’ve lost in 2019.
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<p>One Life to Live’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/541364/stephen-markle-dead-73/" target="_blank">Stephen Markle (Mel Hayes) Dead at 73</a> November 6 2018 (his death was not announced until 2019) – pictured here with Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord).</p>
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<p>‘Dallas’ Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/539819/ken-kercheval-dead-at-83/" target="_blank">Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes) Dead at 83</a>, April 20.</p>
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<p>Passions Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/539179/passions-alum-georgia-engel-dead-at-70/" target="_blank">Georgia Engel (Esmerelda) Dead at 70</a> years of age in Princeton, New Jersey.</p>
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4/43
<p>Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/534484/yrs-kristoff-st-john-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters) Dead at 52</a> on February 3. The official cause of death was “hypertrophic heart disease… and effects of ethanol.”</p>
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5/43
<p>Soap Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536641/soap-alum-jed-allan-dead-at-84/" target="_blank">Jed Allan Dead at 84</a> in Palm Desert, California on March 10.</p>
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<p>90210, Loving and Another World’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536171/luke-perry-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Luke Perry Dead at 52</a> on Monday March 4 due to a massive stroke</p>
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7/43
<p>Soap’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536095/soap-star-katherine-helmond-dead-at-89/" target="_blank">Katherine Helmond died on February 28</a> at age 89 due to Alzheimer’s complications.</p>
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<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/534928/days-alum-steve-bean-dead-at-58/" target="_blank">Steve Bean (Steve Levy) passed away</a> on January 21 at the age of 58 due to sino-squamous cell carcinoma.</p>
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9/43
<p>As the World Turns, The Doctors and Another World’s Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/535856/soap-alum-beverley-owen-of-the-munsters-dead-at-81/" target="_blank">Beverley Owen of ‘The Munsters’ Dead at 81</a> on February 21.</p>
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<p>Soap Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/534465/soap-alum-carmen-duncan-dead-at-76/" target="_blank">Carmen Duncan Dead at 76</a> on February 3 due to cancer.</p>
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<p>Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/534484/yrs-kristoff-st-john-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters) Dead at 52</a> on February 3. The official cause of death was “hypertrophic heart disease… and effects of ethanol.”</p>
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<p>General Hospital’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/533139/general-hospitals-donna-messina-dead-at-59/" target="_blank">Donna Messina Dead at 59</a> on December 6, 2018 (the word did not come out until January 7, 2019)</p>
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<p>Days, ‘Star Trek’ Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/533195/days-star-trek-alum-william-morgan-sheppard-dead-at-86/" target="_blank">William Morgan Sheppard Dead at 86</a> on January 6.</p>
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<p>Soap Writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/533566/soap-writer-bettina-bradbury-dead-at-63/" target="_blank">Bettina Bradbury died at age 63</a> on January 13. She wrote for All My Children, Days of our Lives, One life to Live and Santa Barbara.</p>
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<p>B&B and Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/533130/bb-and-yrs-scha-jani-dead-at-66/" target="_blank">Scha Jani Dead at 66</a> on November 26, 2018 (information was not available until January 7, 2019).</p>
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16/43
<p>All My Children and One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/543555/all-my-children-one-life-to-live-sylvia-miles-dead-94/" target="_blank">Sylvia Miles passed away at age 94 </a>from unknown causes while en route to the hospital.</p>
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<p>General Hospital actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/544572/general-hospital-susan-bernard-dead-71/" target="_blank">Susan Bernard passed away at 71</a> from an apparent heart attack.</p>
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18/43
<p>As the World Turns and Edge of Night director <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/544853/as-the-world-turns-edge-of-night-director-joel-aronowitz-dead/" target="_blank">Joel Aronowitz passed away</a> on June 29 following a brief illness. </p>
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<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/544975/arte-johnson-laugh-in-general-hospital-dead/" target="_blank">Arte Johnson died on July 3</a> following a battle of bladder and prostate cancer.</p>
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<p>General Hospital: Night Shift alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/545121/general-hospital-night-shift-cameron-boyce-dead/" target="_blank">Cameron Boyce died in his sleep</a> at the age of 20 following a seizure. The actor had been treated for epilepsy. </p>
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21/43
<p>Willy Wonka, Search for Tomorrow and Dark Shadows actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/545337/search-for-tomorrow-dark-shadows-willy-wonka-chocolate-factory-denise-nickerson-dead-at-62/" target="_blank">Denise Nickerson died at 62</a> on July 11 after suffering a stroke. </p>
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<p>Soap opera vet <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/545963/obituary-guiding-light-robert-milli-dead-86/" target="_blank">Robert Milli passed away at 86</a> after a battle with cancer. </p>
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<p>Another World and Young and Restless alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/546021/obituary-young-and-restless-david-hedison-dead-92/" target="_blank">David Hedison passed away</a> at 92. </p>
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<p>Bold and Beautiful and Young and Restless makeup artist <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/546173/yr-bb-actors-mourn-make-up-artist-jenna-wittman/" target="_blank">Jenna Wittman passed away in July 2019</a> after being put on life support. </p>
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<p>Bold and Beautiful Production Designer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/546935/obituary-sy-tomashoff-dead-96/" target="_blank">Sy Tomashoff passed away at 96</a>. </p>
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<p>Another World actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/548938/carol-lynley-dead-77/" target="_blank">Carol Lynley passed away at 77</a> after suffering a heartattack.</p>
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<p>Days of our Lives and Generations script writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/549160/rocci-chatfield-dead-93/" target="_blank">Rocci Chatfield passed away at 93</a> of natural causes. </p>
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<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/549598/obituary-brian-turk-dead-49/" target="_blank">Brian Turk passed away at 49</a> due to complications from brain cancer.</p>
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<p>One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/549629/obituary-phyllis-newman-dead-86/" target="_blank">Phyllis Newman passed away</a> at 86. </p>
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<p>Another World writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550345/obituary-jan-merlin-dead-94/" target="_blank">Jan Merlin passed away</a> at 94. </p>
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<p>Soap opera writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550303/soap-writer-hogan-sheffer-dead-61/" target="_blank">Hogan Sheffer passed away</a> at 61. </p>
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<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/549940/general-hospital-suzanne-whang-dead-56/" target="_blank">Suzanne Whang passed away at 56</a> as a result of breast cancer.</p>
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<p>Dynasty actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550721/obituary-diahann-carroll-dead-84/" target="_blank">Diahann Carroll passed away at 84</a> as a result of cancer. </p>
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<p>Days of our Lives alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/550801/obituary-lewis-dauber-dead-70/" target="_blank">Lewis Dauber passed away at 70</a> as a result of liver cancer.</p>
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<p>Edge of Night and Maude alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/551502/obituary-bill-macy-dead-97/" target="_blank">Bill Macy passed away</a> at the age of 97 on October 17. </p>
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<p>Y&R’s Beth Maitland’s ex-husband and General Hospital Sound Tech <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/552689/gh-sound-tech-christopher-banninger-dead/" target="_blank">Christopher Banninger passed away</a> due to a massive heart attack.</p>
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<p>One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/552667/obituary-one-life-to-live-brian-tarantina-dead-60/" target="_blank">Brian Tarantina passed away</a> at 60. </p>
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<p>Young and Restless and General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/552944/obituary-yr-william-wintersole-dead-88/" target="_blank">William Wintersole passed away at 88</a> due to complications from cancer. </p>
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<p>Will & Grace alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/554988/obituary-shelley-morrison-dead-83/" target="_blank">Shelley Morrison has passed away at 83</a>. The actress also appeared on ABC’s General Hospiral as Mrs. Ramirez in 1982.</p>
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<p>Award-winning producer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/555442/obituary-young-and-restless-producer-lisa-de-cazotte-dead-58/" target="_blank">Lisa de Cazotte passed away at 58</a>. She worked on numerous soap operas including All My Children, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Santa Barbara and held a position at Young and Restless at the time of her death. </p>
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<p>One Life to Live actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/556678/obituary-one-life-to-live-pamela-payton-wright-dead-78/" target="_blank">Pamela Payton-Wright passed away</a> at 78. She was best known for playing Llanview’s Addie Cramer. </p>
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<p>Days of our Lives’ <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/540071/obituary-days-of-our-lives-john-clarke-dead-88/" target="_blank">John Clarke died on October 16</a> from pneumonia. Clarke retired from playing Mickey Horton on the NBC soap opera in 2004. </p>
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