In the early hours of this morning, actress Rue McClanahan died from a brain hemorrhage. She was 76 years old. And while this fact has nothing to do with my pursuit of food and nursing, I feel it is necessary to take a moment and acknowledge the life of this brilliant performer.
For those of you who have never heard her name before, Rue is most famous for her portrayal of the man-hungry, vivacious, Blanche Devereaux of the eternally classic "Golden Girls."
For me, the Golden Girls represented a funny and witty group of women who dealt with life after 50 and the struggles of what that meant during the mid-late 1980's and into the early 1990's. They were an award-winning ensemble that proved it was okay to not be the youngest, the prettiest, the thinnest, or even the smartest person in the world, that at the very core all you needed to get anywhere in the world was to just be who you are.
The show itself was probably one of the most important influences in my life. The "girls" helped me understand humor. They helped me to understand life, diseases, aging, making changes, and most of all that there is a St. Olaf story for every situation.
Rue McClanahan co-starred with Bea Arthur, who passed away last year; Estelle Getty, who passed away in 2008; and Betty White who is the last of the comic quartet, and who's career is seemingly endless as an actress, an activist, and writer.
Rue's passing will leave a hole in my heart, but it will be filled with the laughter that she helped to nurture and to kindle in the hearts of Americans, and people all over the world. God Bless You, Rue; and may the angels receive you with open arms. I will never forget your work, and the lessons you passed on. You will live forever in the laughter, and the laughter will always live on...
In Memory of Actress Rue McClanahan: (February 21, 1934 – June 3, 2010)
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