Fans are in mourning this week after the death of legendary Broadway star Carol Channing, who passed away on Tuesday at her home in Rancho Mirage, California. She was 97 years-old.

Channing’s death was confirmed by her publicist, B Harlan Boll.

“It is with extreme heartache, that I have to announce the passing of an original Industry Pioneer, Legend and Icon – Miss Carol Channing. I admired her before I met her, and have loved her since the day she stepped … or fell rather … into my life,” Boll said. “It is so very hard to see the final curtain lower on a woman who has been a daily part of my life for more than a third of it. We supported each other, cried with each other, argued with each other, but always ended up laughing with each other. Saying good-bye is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, but I know that when I feel those uncontrollable urges to laugh at everything and/or nothing at all, it will be because she is with me, tickling my funny bone.”

Born in 1921, Channing made her Broadway debut in 1949 in the play “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Years later, she starred in her most famous role as matchmaker Dolly Levi in the musical “Hello, Dolly!” for which she won a Tony Award in 1964. In 1968, she was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 1968 for her role in Thoroughly Modern Millie.

In July of last year, Channing said in an interview that she has no regrets from her career.

“Regret leads to negativity and negativity kills creativity,” she said. “Given the opportunity, I might change a choice I made, but you can’t regret making what you thought was the best decision at the time.”