They were a couple of my favorite shows growing up. The Facts of Life, and Different Strokes were two great shows, and one of the main reasons was because of Charlotte Rae.
We first got to know her as Edna Garrett on Different Strokes, the housekeeper for the Drummond family.
Later on there would be a spinoff of Different Strokes, a new show called The Facts Of Life, and Charlotte Rae's character Mrs. Garrett was front and center. She was the house mother at the Eastland School for Girls on The Facts of Life, in a role that earned her an Emmy nomination in 1982.
Charlotte Rae passed away peacefully at her home in LA surrounded by family and friends. She had been diagnosed with bone cancer just over a year ago.