Television icon Beatrice (Bea) Arthur, best known for her roles as Maude Findley and Dorothy Zbornak on the classic small screen series Maude and The Golden Girls, passed away early Saturday after a lengthy battle with cancer. Now her on-screen roommates, Emmy-winning Golden Girls Betty White and Rue McClanahan, are paying tribute to their late co-star.

“Bea was such an important part of a very happy time in my life and I have dearly loved her for a very long time. I’m grateful that she received her much deserved ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ when she did, so she could enjoy it,” Betty told Entertainment Tonight in a statement on Saturday. “How lucky I was to know her.”

Rue, who also starred with Bea in the 70s’ All In The Family-spinoff Maude, is remembering how instrumental her late friend was in helping her fine-tune her acting.

“Thirty seven years ago, she showed me how to be very brave in playing comedy,” Rue said in a statement. “I’ll miss that courage. And I’ll miss that voice.”