Cora Beth

Sorry to hear the news of Ronnie Clare Edwards  passing for sure.
Not to keep yammering about women in television during my formative years but absolutely "The Waltons" was weekly viewing. And I think underrated for bringing social issues to the forefront in a different way. Dealing with racism, classism, the role of women during the war and in the changing world around them.
And she didn't always have the fun job in that, portraying a character that was opinionated & with definite prejudices. Over the 6 seasons we got to see her learn some hard lessons. It takes a rare talent to get you to care about a character you don't always like. You wanted her to be better because despite her flaws, she & Ike were lovely together.
Given the chance, she was also damn funny and underrated for bringing comedy to that kind of material. I forever remember her delivery of a line about the new pet puppy "making mischief in the movie house".
We don't get characters like this much any more. The Cora Beths & Emily Gilmores of the world, who have to earn redemption. It's not pc and they either have to be really evil or really good. She maybe had the most well rounded character out of the show.
And she was so much more, with her eclectic childhood translating into a lauded theatre career.  And also writer, including her autobiography "The Knife Thrower's Assistant: Memoirs of a Human Target" which started as a 1994 Edinburgh Fringe award winning play.
Thank you, Ronnie Clare Edwards, for shaping my world view as a child. You were strong, funny, irritating, practical, silly in ways both good & bad and fantastic at every array of emotion.