Overview
- Lower Columbia College confirmed that Dr. Courtney Shah has died and said she passed away peacefully at home, prompting local and national coverage.
- Her family posted updates on CaringBridge saying she had been treated with radiation and chemotherapy that proved ineffective and that she was in hospice care before her death.
- Shah rose to public attention after a seven-game run on Jeopardy! in 2021 that earned $118,558, and she later competed in the 2022 Tournament of Champions.
- A scholar and teacher for nearly two decades at Lower Columbia College, Shah held a Ph.D. from the University of Houston and wrote Sex Ed, Segregated on the history of gender, sexuality, medicine, and race.
- Students, fans and colleagues have posted tributes online and a memorial service is scheduled at LCC’s Rose Center for the Arts on August 10, 2026, reflecting her local and fan-based impact.