Estelle Getty

 Estelle Getty (July 25, 1923 – July 22, 2008)

She was best known for her role as Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls from 1985 to 1992, which won her an Emmy and a Golden Globe, on The Golden Palace from 1992 to 1993, and on Empty Nest from 1993 to 1995. Getty had made numerous guest appearances on popular television series including Fantasy Island, Cagney & Lacey, Blossom, Touched by an Angel, Mad About You and The Nanny. Her film roles include Tootsie, Mask and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot which earned her a Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress. In her later years, after retiring from acting, she battled Lewy body dementia. Golden Girls cast members who attempted to talk to her on the phone or in person found that she couldn't remember them, or anything about the show. Bea Arthur said that even during production of the series, Getty had so much trouble remembering her lines that they should have known something was wrong from the beginning. Getty died of Dementia with Lewy bodies on July 22, 2008, three days before her 85th birthday. She is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.