Overview
- Shah’s daughter, Maya, announced on the family’s CaringBridge page that Courtney Shah died on July 22, 2026, at home and asked supporters to share memories and remembrances.
- The family said Shah was diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier in 2026 and moved to home hospice in March after doctors found radiation and chemotherapy were not working.
- Shah became a national figure after a seven-game winning streak on Jeopardy! in 2021 that earned $118,558 plus $2,000 for an eighth-game second place, and she returned for the 2022 Tournament of Champions as a quarterfinalist.
- A longtime educator, Shah taught history at Lower Columbia College for nearly two decades, held a Ph.D. from the University of Houston, and wrote Sex Ed, Segregated; the college and former students have issued tributes to her teaching and scholarship.
- A public memorial is scheduled for August 10 at LCC’s Rose Center for the Arts, and friends, students and fans are posting condolences and sharing stories to mark Shah’s life and local impact.