Fruitcake LadyI was saddened to hear on the Jay Leno Show last night that the Fruitcake Lady died last Saturday.

She had a unique and charming style. (Yes, I wrote ‘charming’). I’m not saying anything profound to note that what made her so hilarious, was her grace, beauty, style, class, obvious good breeding mixed with her frank, forthright, to-the-point, no-holds-barred advise. All of this was wrapped up in the same lovely Georgian genteel accent that gracefully flowed from the tongues of the women I knew in my childhood. Maybe that’s why I found her so charming. She could have been any number of women I knew growing up - aside from her language, of course.

It’s hard to view the death of a 95 year old woman as a tragedy, but it does make me feel strangely sad. She obviously kept her mind and her health for her 95 years. She obviously enjoyed her life. She started a new career as a television personality at 89 years of age.

Any of us who watched her ‘Ask the Fruitcake Lady’ segments on the Jay Leno Show will miss her frank advise on marriage, relationships and sex.

From NBC

REMEMBERING THE FRUITCAKE LADY
1911 - 2006

We’re saddened to announce the passing of Marie Rudisill, our beloved “Fruitcake Lady.” She died Saturday, November 3rd in Hudson, Florida. Born Edna Marie Faulk in Monroeville, Alabama, she was aunt to Truman Capote, and helped to raise him in Alabama and New York City when he was still young.

She made millions of viewers laugh appearing regularly on “The Tonight Show” in her “Ask The Fruitcake Lady” segments. She began her career in television at 89, teaching Jay and Mel Gibson how to make fruitcake. She went on to do cooking segments with Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Hugh Grant.

Marie is survived by son James, three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Our deepest condolences go out to her family and her fans. She will be truely missed by all of us.

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