Dixie Carter, best known for playing the steely Julia Sugarbaker on TV’s Designing Women, died Saturday morning at age 70. She is survived by her husband of 26 years, Hal Holbrook, and two daughters.

“This has been a terrible blow to our family,” Holbrook told Entertainment Tonight. “We would appreciate everyone understanding this is a private family tragedy.”

Carter recently had a seven-episode guest stint on ABC’s Desperate Housewives, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. Housewives creator Marc Cherry wrote the role of Gloria Hodge for Carter — one of his first jobs in the entertainment industry was working as the actress's assistant.

As Sugarbaker on Designing Women, Carter became a household name, particularly among gay fans, for her character's liberal tirades and strong stands on issues ranging from abortion to gay rights. Check out a couple of Carter's more memorable moments below.