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Estelle Getty

Estelle Getty, who played the sarcastic smart mouth Sophia Petrillo, mother to Bea Arthur's character on The Golden Girls, passed away at the age of 84 due to natural causes. She won a Golden Globe and Emmy for her role, even though she was a mere three years older than Bea Arthur. Estelle was said to be suffering a form of Alzheimer's disease called Lewy's Body Dimentia.

Take a look back at Celebrity Passages 2007 >>

• Filed Under:
• Bea Arthur,
• Emmy,
• Estelle Getty,
• Golden Girls,
• Golden Globe,
• Sophia Petrillo,