The Passing of a 'Golden Girl'

Estelle Getty was a latter-day Grandma Moses, a true inspiration.

She achieved her greatest success late in life — after struggling through 40 years of bit parts and low-paying jobs, she found stardom on ”The Golden Girls” as the acerbic matriarch Sophia.

Getty passed away yesterday at the age of 84.

Getty was actually a year younger than the actress who played her daughter — Bea Arthur. But you never could have told that when the two of them were on stage together.

I wasn’t a regular viewer of ”The Golden Girls,” but my parents were. I guess that’s a reflection of our demographics.

My parents were in their 50s and early 60s when the show was on the air. I was in my 20s and early 30s.

But I’ve seen reruns of the show, and I admire the talents of everyone on it.

Especially Getty, who portrayed a character nearly 20 years older than she was in real life — and won Emmy and Golden Globe awards in the process.

”Don't feel sad about her passing,” one of her co-stars, Rue McClanahan, told the Associated Press. ”She will always be with us in her crowning achievement, Sophia.”