Don Rickles' widow has died at age 84 on what would have been the couple's 56th wedding anniversary.
Barbara Rickles passed away on Sunday at her Century City home of complications from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, publicist Paul Shefrin told The Hollywood Reporter. She lost her husband in April 2017 from kidney failure. He was 90.
"They were incredibly devoted to each other," Shefrin wrote to his Facebook page. "She was the perfect woman for Don and vice versa."
Don's Twitter account shows his final tweet was a loving message to Barbara.
"We are celebrating our 52nd Wedding Anniversary March 14th. Happy Anniversary my dear wife, Barbara. You are my life,” he wrote, signing the message: "Pussycat (Me)."
Don and Barbara met while Barbara was working for the famed comedian's secretary. They wed in 1965 and had two children, Mindy and son Larry, who tragically passed away in 2011 at age 41 of respiratory failure due to pneumonia.
In a previous interview with Closer Weekly, Don spoke about the secret to his successful marriage with Barbara.
"The main thing is the friendship and loyalty you develop. When things are down, you have someone at your side who believes in you. And when things are up, you have great times – and that's been our marriage," he said.
Don also opened up about what Barbara meant to him in a 2016 interview with Today.
"She’s everything," he said, describing her as "somebody that cares genuinely about you, through good and bad."
"I’m completely devoted to her," he added. "She’s my life.”
Barbara is survived by Mindy, and grandchildren Ethan and Harrison.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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