Oh, no. I was just a little kid when she did the Patty Duke show, but it makes me feel as though I just learned that a friend from my childhood had passed away.

Sorry, Jasdip - I didn't see your post when I posted mine. Ignore mine.

Sean Astin's statement:

I love you mom.

OUR FAMILY STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF PATTY DUKE

This morning, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, matriarch and the exquisite artist, humanitarian, and champion for mental health, Anna PATTY DUKE Pearce, closed her eyes, quieted her pain and ascended to a beautiful place. We celebrate the infinite love and compassion she shared through her work and throughout her life.

Her work endures...
The Patty Duke Mental Health Project: https://www.crowdrise.com/patty-duke-mental-he…/…/seanastin1

I was soooo in love with her. Right age for me.

What a wonderful statement by her son. Sigh. I'm sure his life wasn't easy, either, with the demons that poor Anna endured.

Just loved her! She lived here. My husband grew up with her youngest brother-in-law. He died in a mining accident many years ago. I think Mike and Anna's son was named after him, Kevin. RIP, Anna. What a class act to the end!

So many entertainers have passed away this year and it is only the end of March.

Wiki said she died of sepsis, not sure what that means

Sepsis is a system-wide response to an infection. Anna Marie "Patty" Duke had suffered a ruptured intestine (but I don't know what caused it to rupture). This, of course, would infect her entire abdomen, and her body's attempt to fight that infection ended up as septicemia. That causes the body's organs to shut down.

Fifteen or so years ago, my younger sister had a ruptured intestine. She has had a problem with constipation her entire life, and that is likely what caused her rupture. She had been in severe pain for about three days when she finally said she wanted to go to the hospital. My husband took her to the E.R. where they did a CT scan of her abdomen and found the rupture. She had emergency surgery, of course. I forget how many liters of sterile saline the doctor said they used to wash out her abdominal cavity. She ended up with a (temporary) colostomy which she had for six months to allow her intestine to heal (after the doctor had stitched it back together). So, six months after that emergency surgery, she went back in for another surgery to reverse the colostomy.

So, I don't know if Patty Duke just didn't get medical attention in time after her rupture, which allowed an infection to take hold, or what... At least she's no longer in pain.

Such a shame, with everything else she overcame, to have an infection claim her life.

My MIL died of septicemia many years ago at age 65. She was very diabetic and it wasn't well controlled. She developed a stomach ulcer that became infected, septic shock followed.

Another one gone....Patty Duke, 69....Alan Rickman, 69....David Bowie, 69...guess how old I am?...RIP to them all.

I loved her, she will be missed.

Gosh, she was so young, and talented as well. R.I.P. Patty Duke.

All of these 69 yr old deaths is making me nervous. Patty Duke was 15 days older than I am. I admired her. She had a lot of heartache and turmoil in her life. Too bad she didn't live longer to enjoy her life when things were more stable.

OMG, Patty Duke, what a shame! I remember her from when I was very young and she starred in the movie "The Bad Seed". I'll always remember it.

I thought Patty McCormack starred in "The Bad Seed", Patty Duke was in "The Miracle Worker"

Oh, boy, I think you're right! I was so young, I guess I got it confused.

Wonderful actress. So many celebrities have died this year, and it's only March. David Bowie, Garry Shandling, Patty, other rock stars in bands, Ken Howard.

I am having trouble believing she was only 69. There is also a story today about David Cassidy in trouble and he it says is 65. HOw can they be only four years apart in age??!! Crazy. Years ago when her bi-polar condition came out I was AMAZED. She is proof that poor parenting/childhood does not have to define you or limit you!!

She was an amazing person. I remember being enthralled with her performance in The Miracle Worker (film) and then enjoying the Patty Duke Show. Actually, I thought the show was stupid but she was just so much fun to watch in it! I saw her in many things over the years and was always impressed by her performances.

She struggled terribly with her mental illness, rising to the top successfully.