R.I.P. Blanche

It’s a sad, sad day for Golden Girls fans: Rue McClanahan has left the building. The erstwhile Blanche Devereaux was 76.

“She passed away at 1 a.m.,” her manager said. “She had a massive stroke.” May she rest in peace in heaven in the company of Estelle Getty and Bea Arthur.

The actress – a triple threat, she did film, theater (Wicked), and, of course, TV – had been in ill health for some time. She had a minor stroke last fall after undergoing heart bypass surgery.

Betty White, the lone Golden Girl left, said upon hearing of the sad news, “Rue was a close and dear friend. I treasured our relationship. It hurts more than I even thought it would, if that’s even possible.”

I know what she means.



Update: Click here for more celebrity reaction to McClanahan’s passing.