Betty White: Rue's Death Hurts More Than I Ever Thought it Would

Betty White, who is the only living Golden Girl is mourning the death of her friend Rue McClanahan.

"Rue was a close and dear friend. I treasure our relationship," White said in a statement. "It hurts more than I ever thought it would, if that's even possible."

Golden Girls Star Rue McClanahan Passes Away

Rue passed away early in the morning after suffering a stroke. She was 76.

Golden Girls producer and writer Marc Cherry also released a sad statement over McClanahan's death. "When I worked on The Golden Girls, my favorite character to write for was Blanche Devereaux," he said Friday.

"In the hands of lesser actresses Blanche's vanity and sexual appetite would have been off-putting. But in Rue's brilliant hands, that character became one of the most beloved in the history of T.V. Rue's kindness, generosity and enormous talent will be sorely missed."

It's a very sad day in television! RIP Rue!