Vanessa Williams is mourning the loss of her "powerhouse" mother, Helen Louise Williams.
The actress-singer took to Instagram on Thursday to announce that Helen had died at the age of 85 on 28 December due to complications of acute liver failure.
Alongside a photo of her mother, Vanessa revealed that Helen "took her final bow" after suffering a "major decline" in her health during a visit to London to see her daughter perform in the musical version of The Devil Wears Prada on the West End.
"On December 28th, the world lost a powerhouse, dynamo and force of nature packed into a 5ft frame," she wrote in the caption. "Our mom, Helen Williams, aka Gaga to many, took her final bow in London 20 days after celebrating her 85th birthday surrounded by family and friends."
"It's impossible to describe all she meant to everyone because each person saw a different facet of her," the 61-year-old continued. "Loyal friend to many, icy stares to a chosen few. We will miss it all."
Due to the loss, the Ugly Betty actress is taking a week off from the musical between 8 and 15 January. Her understudy Debbie Kurup will play Miranda Priestly during those performances.
Elsewhere in her message, Vanessa shared an obituary in which Helen was described as a "vocal musical educator for 40 years".
"Simultaneously, she taught private piano lessons to thousands of multi-cultural youth throughout Westchester County, was an accomplished pianist and performed as featured accompanist for many music recitals, community and church events, and served as concert coordinator and choral director for countless music programmes before and after she retired (in 1996)," the obituary reads.
Helen is survived by Vanessa and her brother Chris as well as four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Her husband Milton Augustine Williams Jr. died at the age of 67 in 2006.
