'Golden Girls' Rue McClanahan dies

The AP: Rue McClanahan, the Emmy-winning actress who brought the sexually liberated Southern belle Blanche Devereaux to life on the hit TV series "The Golden Girls," has died. She was 76.

Her manager Barbara Lawrence said McClanahan died Thursday at 1 a.m. of a stroke.

“She had a stroke on Monday, and died with her son, sister and nephew at her side." Lawrence said. "It was peaceful, a blessing she went fast."

McClanahan had undergone treatment for breast cancer in 1997 and later lectured to cancer support groups on "aging gracefully." In 2009, she had heart bypass surgery.

McClanahan starred on "Golden Girls" with Beatrice Arthur, who died in 2009, Estelle Getty, who died in 2008, and Betty White.