(Tribune News Service) Kellye Nakahara, who played Nurse Kellye on the iconic sitcom “M*A*S*H*,” has died after a “short battle” with cancer.  She was 72.

The artist and actress died at home on Sunday, her family announced Monday, according to TMZ.

She started out as a non-speaking extra – Nurse #1 – on the television show, her first gig after her husband encouraged the artist to try her hand at acting.

She eventually charmed her way into a larger role, she told The Hollywood Reporter, reminiscing about director and series co-creator Gene Reynolds (who died of heart failure earlier this month at age 96) and star Alan Alda.

Nakahara ended up carving out a role for 167 episodes, just 10 fewer than Radar (Gary Burghoff), according to Heavy.com, and appearing in all 10 seasons of the iconic television hit, which ran from 1972 to 1983.