Rose Marie's Best Friend Reveals Star's Final Moments: 'She Laid Down & Boom, Gone!'
Dec. 29 2017, Updated 7:30 p.m. ET
Rosie Marie's best friend Harlan Boll, who the comic legend once referred to as one the most important people in her life, exclusively told Radaronline.com all about the final moments before her tragic death.
"She had age problems — health issues that come with age," Boll admitted in his interview with RadarOnline.com. "She laid down, her caregiver came in to see if she wanted something to eat, and discovered she had stopped breathing."
"So she laid down and boom! Gone."
The legendary actress was 94 when she died in her Los Angeles home on December 28, 2017.
Boll told RadarOnline.com, "laugher was the secret to her long life."
Marie had one daughter, Georgiana Marie, from her late husband, Bobby Guy, who passed away in 1965.
"Her daughter is obviously very upset," by the death, Boll revealed. "Her mother passed away yesterday so she's dealing with it. She was very close with her daughter Georgiana, very."
Boll described Rose Marie's love of animals and how they filled the void in her life following her husband's death.
"She was down to one dog — Bailey," Boll added. "I imagine her daughter will take Bailey. He was a mutt. She was very big on rescues and when one dog passed way... she needed an animal around, and Bailey became the next one."
"Bailey was an older dog. And mostly people don't want to adopt older dogs. But she basically said 'I'm in my 90s, I don't need a puppy that's going to outlive me!' So she took him in."
Boll heard the tragic news from her daughter's husband.
He told RadarOnline.com that the funeral date has not yet been set, but that friends and family are flying in into town from all over the country.
Marie started acting at the age of three. She is best known for her iconic role as Sally Rogers on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
"She pretty much accomplished more then any performer I can think of — from broadway, touring, tv, and film from the age of three," Boll added.
"She did it all and she did it well."
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