"Dear Abby" founder, Pauline Friedman Phillips, died at the age of 94 Wednesday from Alzheimer's disease, TMZ reports Jan. 17. The columnist was known as Abigail Van Buren.
Phillips' publicist, Gene Willis of Universal Uclick, confirmed the news.
Pauline's daughter, Jeanne, took over the "Dear Abby" column in 2002 after it was learned her mother had Alzheimer's.
"I have lost my mother, my mentor and my best friend," Jeanne said. "My mother leaves very big high heels to fill with a legacy of compassion,commitment and positive social change. I will honor her memory every day by continuing this legacy."
When Jeanne took over the advice colmun, she noted the difference between her mother and herself.
"My style and her style are different," she said. "My mother's style was softer."
"Dear Abby" first appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle back in 1956. A readership of 100 million soon followed of the advice column. She founded one of the most well-known and famous columns in the world -- with her advice seen in different countries. She was a cultural icon whose legacy continues.
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