Rest In Peace – Estelle Getty

Golden Girl, Estelle Getty, died today of Lewy Body Dementia, a progressive brain disease. She was 84. She would have been 85 on Friday and 86 a year from then.

Her longtime caregiver Paul Chapdelaine wrote on her website:

Estelle, we love you and will miss you dearly. We pray that you are met at the Pearly Gate with open arms and a warm welcome by all who have passed before you. If there's a stage over there, I know you'll be on it. If there's a thrift shop, I know you'll be shopping, and if there's a deli, I know you'll be eating there holding court with Rhoda and Sylvia ... and the laughter will be heard throughout the heavens.

Estelle was best known as Sophia Petrillo, the wise-cracking mother of Bea Arthur on Golden Girls; as the wise-cracking Jewish mother of Harvey Firestein in Torch Song Trilogy on Broadway; and as the wisecracking mother of Sylvester Stallone in Stop or My Mom Will Shoot.

She was the best thing in all of them.

Original photo by Alan Light (cropped)