Jennifer Aniston's mother Nancy Dow dies at 79

Los Angeles: 'Friends' star Jennifer Aniston's mother, Nancy Dow, has passed away.

Aniston confirmed the sad news via a statement which read, "It is with great sadness that my brother John (Melick) and I announce the passing of our mother Nancy Dow."

"She was 79 years old and passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends after enduring a long illness. We ask that our family's privacy be respected as we grieve our loss."

While Aniston didn't share details of her mother's illness, according to In Touch magazine, Nancy, also an actress, suffered a series of strokes and lost the ability to speak and walk prior to her death.

Aniston and her mother were estranged for nearly a decade after Nancy penned a memoir "From Mother and Daughter to Friends" (1999) about her famous child.

The two reconciled after Aniston and Brad Pitt divorced in 2005. On May 12, the 47-year-old actress reportedly visited her mother at her North Hollywood apartment for the first time in nearly five years.