The actress Peggy Lipton has died at the age of 72 (May 11). She was known for her role in various films and the crime show The Mod Squad, but remains most recognisable for playing Norma Jennings, owner of the iconic Double R Diner on David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.

Lipton was as adored as her character on the show, with many fans expressing their sadness and sympathies for her family. In 1974 she married the musician and record producer Quincy Jones and, before they divorced in 1990, had two children, including the actress Rashida Jones.

As the owner of the Double R Diner, Lipton formed a kind of spiritual centre for Twin Peaks. Norma’s famous cherry pie and – excuse me – damn fine coffee was a comfort for characters plagued by the town’s sketchier activities and dark spirits; she had a motherly presence that ruled no one out, and personally set up the charitable “Meals on Wheels” service with Laura Palmer.

But, like all of Lynch’s characters, Lipton’s wasn’t without its nuances. Her on-screen husband, Hank, was a criminal on parole and she was having an affair with her high school sweetheart. Unlike many of the others on Twin Peaks, though, she actually got – in the 2017 return of the show – the happy ending she deserved.

Rest in peace, Peggy Lipton.