She was equally at home on the stage or in front of the camera and had quite an amazing career in theater, TV, and film. Most younger people will probably know her from her role as The Oracle in The Matrix Revolutions:
www.hollywoodreporter.com

Mary Alice, Actress in ‘Fences,’ ‘Sparkle’ and ‘The Matrix Revolutions,’ Dies at 85
The former Chicago schoolteacher won a Tony and an Emmy (for ‘I’ll Fly Away’) and is a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
