June 24 (UPI) -- Bobby Sherman, an actor and singer who became one of the most popular teen idols of the late 1960s and early '70s, has died following a battle with cancer. He was 81.
Sherman's wife, Brigette Poublon Sherman, announced the singer's death in an Instagram post shared by actor John Stamos on Tuesday morning.
"It is with the heaviest heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Bobby Sherman. Bobby left this world holding my hand -- just as he held up our life with love, courage, and unwavering grace through all 29 beautiful years of marriage," she wrote.
Poublon Sherman had shared three months earlier that her husband had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.
"As he rested, I read him fan letters from all over the world -- words of love and gratitude that lifted his spirits and reminded him of how deeply he was cherished," she wrote. "He soaked up every word with that familiar sparkle in his eye. And yes, he still found time to crack well-timed jokes -- Bobby had a wonderful, wicked sense of humor. It never left him. He could light up a room with a look, a quip, or one of his classic one-liners."
Sherman rose to fame with a role on ABC series Here Come the Brides in 1968. After the show ended in 1970, he embarked on a successful career as a singer, with hits including "Little Woman," "La La La (If I Had You)," "Easy Come, Easy Go" and "Julie, Do Ya Love Me."
After leaving the spotlight, Sherman trained as an EMT and went on to become a trainer for the Los Angeles Police Department.
"He saved lives. He showed us what real heroism looks like -- quiet, selfless, and deeply human," Poublon Sherman wrote. "Bobby is survived by his two sons, Tyler and Christopher, and six beautiful grandchildren."
