COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho, April 17 (UPI) — A public memorial was held this weekend for Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke, who died last month from sepsis at the age of 69.
ABC News reported hundreds of mourners attended the service at Lake City Church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where Duke lived with her husband Michael Pearce.
Among those to eulogize the actress, author and mental-health advocate were her son, actor Mackenzie Astin, and actress Melissa Gilbert, who co-starred with Duke in the 1972 television adaptation of “The Miracle Worker.”
“I hate that I’m here and yet I love that I’m here to celebrate my dear teacher friend, Anna,” Gilbert told those gathered to say goodbye to Duke whose real name was Anna Pearce. “From the moment we met, we were thick as thieves and we remained that way for 40 years.”
Duke was also the mother of actor Sean Astin.
