Bea Arthur was 86. She played Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls, the title character in Maude and she ran the cantina on Tatooine in the Star Wars Holiday Special.
In grade 7 I attended a gifted program and my teacher there regarded Bea Arthur as her best friend. She was always bringing in photos of her and Bea and telling us Bea Arthur tales. I felt as if I knew her.