Charlotte Rae, the actress responsible for bringing Edna Garrett to life on “Diff’rent Strokes” and “The Facts of Life,” died on Sunday, August 5, 2018. She was 92 years old. A cause of death was not immediately identified, but Rae was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2010 and revealed that she had bone cancer in April 2017.

Born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky, Rae always dreamed of becoming an actress. She began her career as a comedian and later worked on Broadway where she appeared in 10 productions including “The Threepenny Opera” and “Li’l Abner.” Around the same time, Rae recorded an album, “Songs I Taught My Mother: Silly, Sinful & Satiric Selections.”

In the early 1960’s, Rae broke into television with “Car 54, Where Are You?” where she portrayed Sylvia Schnauser, the wife of Al Lewis’ Officer Leo Schnauser. In 1975, Rae was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the TV drama “Queen of the Stardust Ballroom.” It was three years later, however, that she took on the role that would define her career.

In 1978, Rae was cast as the wise, lovable and slightly kooky housekeeper Edna Garrett on “Diff’rent Strokes.” She became such a popular character that Rae proposed giving Edna Garrett her own spin-off series. The spin-off received the green light and became “The Facts of Life.” In the show, Rae once again played the eccentric but kind Edna Garrett who was the house mother at a boarding school for girls. The show ran nine seasons, but Rae left after the seventh season for health reasons. She did, however, reprise her role as Edna Garrett in the 2001 TV movie “The Facts of Life Reunion.”

Rae authored “The Facts of My Life,” a memoir in which she detailed many of her experiences including discovering that her husband was bisexual. When speaking about her book, she said, “At 91, every day is a birthday. [In the memoir,] I want to tell everybody to celebrate every day, to savor the day and be good to yourself, love yourself, and then you can be good to others and be of service to others.”

Coworkers and fans alike have taken to social media to both give their condolences to Rae’s family and express their sorrow for Rae’s passing. She was a long beloved sight on television and will no doubt be remembered by the many who cherished her.