3. Doris Grau (1924-1995)
The distinctive, raspy voice of Lunch Lady Doris belonged to a former script supervisor on
The Simpsons, Doris Grau. First appearing in Season 2's "Bart Gets Hit By A Car," Lunch Lady Doris was as dependable as a secondary character as one could hope for. Working with a terrible budget, she was forced to use gym mats as a meat substitute, and also doubled as Springfield Elementary's school nurse. She is one of the few characters to have a family member frequently appear on screen, as it was implied her son is the Squeaky-Voiced Teen in "Team Homer" (when the teen tells Homer, Apu, and Moe that he couldn't even provide a bowling lane for his own mother, Lunch Lady Doris appears from around the corner to announce, "
I have no son.") When Grau passed away from respiratory failure in December of 1995, Lunch Lady Doris was retired for the next decade out of respect (although, because of recording schedules, her voice could be heard as late as 1997, before being silenced following "Lisa's Sax.") She was frequently seen in background shots, but remained a silent character until Season 18's "The Mook, The Chef, The Wife, and Her Homer," when she was voiced by the talented Tress MacNeille. Grau was the first main actor/actress to pass away of
The Simpsons' voice-actors, and how the producers handled her character would, unfortunately, set the precedent for how future actors' deaths were handled.