Jeopardy champion Courtney Shah dies at 52 after brain cancer
Jeopardy champion Courtney Shah, the seven-time winner and Lower Columbia College history professor, has died at 52 after a battle with brain cancer. She passed away at home on July 22, 2026, her family confirmed. A memorial is set for August 10 at LCC.
Key Takeaways
- Dr. Courtney Shah died at home on July 22, 2026, at age 52 after a brain cancer battle.
- She won seven straight Jeopardy! games in 2021, earning $118,558, then reached the 2022 Tournament of Champions quarterfinals.
- Shah taught U.S. and World History at Lower Columbia College in Longview, Washington, starting in 2007.
- A memorial service will be held August 10 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Rose Center for the Arts on campus.
Who was Jeopardy champion Courtney Shah?
Dr. Courtney Shah was a longtime history instructor at Lower Columbia College and a published author. She also coordinated the college's Community Conversations program and served as a keynote speaker during LCC's 90th anniversary celebration.
In 2021, she became a seven-time Jeopardy! champion, amassing $118,558 across her winning streak. She also earned $2,000 for placing second in her eighth game, according to the fan database J! Archive, as reported by E! News.
The following year she competed in the 2022 Tournament of Champions, placing third in her quarterfinals match and winning $5,000, according to Jeopardy!.
What happened in her final months?
Earlier in 2026, Shah was diagnosed with brain cancer. Her daughter, Maya Shah, said symptoms began around the second week of January with numbness and weakness on the left side of her face.
By February, Maya reported that radiation and chemo were not working as hoped. Courtney then chose to stop treatment and move to hospice, with her family supporting that decision.
Maya wrote that her mother died at 4:57 a.m. on July 22, 2026, "in the comfort of her home." In a final CaringBridge update before her death, Maya said there was still "comfort, time together, and lots of glimmers," including watching basketball, rooting for Duke, and answering Jeopardy! clues.
How is her community remembering her?
Lower Columbia College confirmed her peaceful passing at home, and the campus community is mourning a colleague of nearly two decades. Coverage from Deadline and local station KLOG underscored both her classroom legacy and her national trivia fame.
A service celebrating her life is scheduled for Monday, August 10, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Rose Center for the Arts on the LCC campus. For more stories in this hub, see Future Tech & AI Wonders on BlasterPost.
Maya asked fans to honor her mother in a way that feels meaningful—tell stories, light a candle, say a prayer, or simply hold the memory close. "Hug your loved ones," she wrote.