{{Short description|American actress (1958–2008)}} {{Infobox person | image = Shell Kepler-General Hospital.jpg | caption = Kepler as Nurse Amy Vining on ''General Hospital'' | birth_name = Michelle Alaine Kepler | birth_date = {{Birth date|1958|10|5}} | birth_place = Painesville, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2008|2|1|1958|10|5}} | death_place = Portland, Oregon, U.S. | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1978–2002 | notable_works = ''General Hospital'' | spouse = Kenny Ryback (5/20/1985–1991; divorced) <br> Robert DeSantis (4/17/1993–2000; divorced) }} '''Michelle Alaine Kepler''' (October 5, 1958 – February 1, 2008), was an American television actress best known for her work on ''General Hospital'' as "Nurse Amy Vining", from 1979 until 2002.
==Early life== Kepler was born in Ohio, and her family moved to Arcadia, California when she was 10.<ref name="OC Reg"/> She had one brother, Fred, who is named after their father.<ref name="oregonlive.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/living/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/living/1202250305250960.xml&coll=7 |title=Soap actress Kepler dies in Portland |publisher=oregonlive.com |date=February 6, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="Shell Kepler Dead at 49">{{cite web |url=http://www.soapcentral.com/gh/news/2008/0204-kepler.php |title=Shell Kepler Dead at 49 |publisher=Soapcentral |date=February 3, 2008 }}</ref>
==Career== Kepler portrayed busybody nurse Amy Vining, a "fan favourite" and sister of Laura Spencer's, on ''General Hospital'', from 1979 to 2002.<ref name="OC Reg">{{cite web |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kepler-28284-hospital-general.html |title=Longtime soap opera actress Shell Kepler dies at 49 |work=Orange County Register |date=February 4, 2008 |accessdate=November 3, 2015}}</ref> She also appeared on the ''General Hospital'' spinoff ''Port Charles'', other shows such as ''CHiPs'' and ''Three's Company'', and the movie ''Homework'' (1982) with Joan Collins.<ref name="OC Reg"/>
Kepler was also a businesswoman, who marketed a line of clothing on the former Home Shopping Club. In a 1994 Associated Press interview, she claimed that her "Lacy Afternoon" collection had earned more than $20 million in sales that year.<ref name="OC Reg"/>
After her TV career ended, she moved to Portland, Oregon and was active in charitable fundraising.<ref name="OC Reg"/>
==Personal life== Kepler married and divorced twice, and had 3 children.<ref name="oregonlive.com"/><ref name="Shell Kepler Dead at 49"/> She and her ''General Hospital'' costar Jacklyn Zeman (who played Barbara Jean "Bobbie" Spencer) were close friends.<ref name="General Hospital News & Gossip">{{cite web|url=http://soapzone.com/newsroom.php/gh/news|website= SoapZone|title= General Hospital News & Gossip}}</ref>
Kepler died from kidney failure, on February 1, 2008, at Oregon Health & Science University.<ref name="oregonlive.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soapcentral.com/gh/news/2008/0204-kepler.php |title=Shell Kepler Dead at 49 |website=Soapcentral |date=February 3, 2008 }}</ref> Zeman delivered a eulogy at her funeral.<ref name="General Hospital News & Gossip"/> The February 26, 2008 episode of ''General Hospital'' was dedicated to Kepler, "In loving memory".<ref name=Kepler>{{cite web|last=Kroll|first=Dan J|title=Shell Kepler dead at 49|url=http://www.soapcentral.com/gh/news/2008/0204-kepler.php|work=soapcentral.com|accessdate=December 29, 2012|date=February 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=February 26, 2008 |title=Robin is overcome by emotion|work=General Hospital}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Portal|Biography}} *[http://www.soapcentral.com/gh/theactors/kepler.php Shell Kepler - Soapcentral.com] *[https://michelle-kepler.muchloved.com/ Shell Kepler at muchloved.com] *[https://michellekepler.remembered.com/ Michelle Kepler, under the nickname, "Shell" at remembered.com]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kepler, Shell}} Category:1958 births Category:2008 deaths Category:American soap opera actresses Category:Deaths from kidney failure in Oregon Category:Actresses from Ohio Category:People from Painesville, Ohio Category:Actresses from Portland, Oregon Category:20th-century American actresses Category:21st-century American women
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