Sad news today.? 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.

Co-star and close friend, Betty White, 88, who’s now the last living Golden Girl, spoke about her passing in a prepared statement:

“Rue was a close and dear friend. I treasure our relationship. It hurts more than I ever thought it would, if that’s even possible.”

McClanahan died early Thursday at age 76 after suffering a stroke, following the deaths of costars Bea Arthur last year at age 86 and Estelle Getty in 2008 at age 84 .

R.I.P.? Rue McClanahan