Bea Arthur
Bea Arthur, who played Dorothy Zbornak, died on May 25, 2009, at age 86. The cause was cancer-related complications.
Betty White
Betty White, who played Rose Nylund, died on December 31, 2021, at age 99. The immediate cause was a stroke, following a brief illness.
Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty
Rue McClanahan, who played Blanche Devereaux, died on June 3, 2010, at age 76, from a brain hemorrhage. Estelle Getty, who played Sophia Petrillo, died on July 22, 2008, at age 84, from Lewy body dementia.
The series aired from 1985 to 1992 and remains widely syndicated. Background on the show and its legacy can be found on the official NBC Golden Girls page.
