Bea Arthur, whose comic portrayals of powerful women left us forever touched, passed away at the age of 86 this past weekend of cancer. Born Bernice Frankel, Ms. Arthur was an accomplished, Tony and Emmy award-winning commedienne, actress and singer. Her wry, taciturn, boldly feminist characters helped to carve a new image for women in the media - women who would speak their minds and address formerly taboo television sitcom subjects including racism, sexism, divorce, and the Vietnam War.