One of my, as well as many others, childhood idols Farrah Fawcett sadly passed away on June 25, 2009. She was born, Ferrah Leni Fawcett, in Corpus Christi, Texas on February 2, 1947. She was the younger of two children born to Pauline and James Fawcett. Farrah was a beautiful mixture of French, English and Choctaw Native American. In her early school years, she attended a Roman Catholic School. She graduated from high school in 1965 and continued to pursue her education at the University of Texas. While in college she became a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority.  
In 1969 Farrah moved to Los Angeles. She stared in commercials such as Noxema, Ultra Brite, Mercury Cougar, and Wella Balsam. Her first television appearance was as a guest on, “I Dream of Jeannie.” She then began appearing as a reporter on the show, “6 Million Dollar Man.”  In 1973 Farrah married the star of this show, Lee Majors and began using the name Farrah Fawcett-Majors. However, she is most well known for the poster photo of her that was taken in 1976. The photo was taken for the “10 Most Beautiful Co-eds” she was featured in a red one piece swimming suit and donned her long blonde locks, which every girl wanted. Her poster sales were a new level of success, and estimates range that her poster sold between 6 and 12 million copies. In 1976 Farrah stared in a new television series, “Charlie’s Angels.” This role is one of her most well known and helped rocket her to stardom.

As an “Angel” she played Jill Munroe, a former police offer, who was working for an eccentric, wealthy recluse as a private investigator. For the Role of Jill Munroe she won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Performer in a New Television Program. To many little girls such as myself she represented everything we wanted to be. She was beautiful and she played a strong, working woman who was independent. Fashion dolls were created in the “Angels” likeness. Even though the show had just begun to rise to the peak of its success, Farrah left after just one season. Her leaving created a legal battle over her contract, and she would return to the hit show for a total of 6 shows during seasons 3 and 4 to fulfill the terms of her contract. Even though she had achieved fame as an “Angel,” her poster sales brought in more revenue. Farrah’s marriage was short lived would last less than a decade. Lee and Farrah would separate in 1979, and the divorce finalized in 1982

Farrah’s acting went on and she performed off Broadway. In 1984 Farrah continued her television career and stared in the “Burning Bed” a controversial but true story of a battered and abused wife. For her role as “Francine Hughes” she received 3 Emmy Award Nominations. This made for television movie was the first TV movie ever to provide an 800 public service phone numbers for viewers. The 800 number was for battered women. Her role in “Small Sacrifices” won a Peabody for Excellence. She received Golden Globe nominations. Her achievements continued on, she received an Independent Spirit Award Nomination. In 1982 Farrah began a long term on relationship with “Love Story’s,” Ryan O’Neal.

Farrah became known as a sex symbol during the 1970’s and 1980’s. In January of 1985, she joined the ranks of motherhood, when she gave birth to her only child Redmond O’Neal. She as a 50 year old woman managed to prove that you can still be sexy at a half a century old, when she appeared in Playboy magazine. Her July Issue became the top seller of the 1990’s.  Her acting continued and she made guest appearances on Ally McBeal, Spin City, and The Guardian. Per her own accounts in interviews in her private time she enjoyed, “Sculpting, Painting and Dancing.”

In 2006, Farrah was diagnosed with Anal Cancer. She began documenting her personal battle, hoping to bring a taboo subject to light. After a full round of treatment she was diagnosed as cancer free, but in 2007 the cancer returned with a vengeance. Farrah was diagnosed as having stage 4 cancer that had spread to her liver. Test showed that she had nine separate tumors. Even before she had a chance to share the news with family and friends, her story was splashed across the pages of a tabloid newspaper. Even though Farrah was already engaged in a battle for her life, she helped set up a sting operation; that resulted in the arrest and conviction of a UCLA employee. The hospital employee ended up pleading guilty to Violating Patient Privacy Laws. Farrah received treatment in the United States as well as in Germany for her anal cancer. Her personal battle was turned into a 2 hour documentary called “Farrah’s Story.”  Farrah fought a brave and gallant battle against a viscous disease.

On June 25th, 2009 at approximately 9:28 Farrah Fawcett succumbed to her battle with cancer at St. John’s Health Center. Ryan O’Neal and her close friend Alana Stewart were by her side when she passed. There was a private funeral held for her in Los Angeles at the Cathedral of our Lady Of Angels, a fitting place for the memorial of an “Angel.” In the end even though Farrah and Ryan’s relationship had been rocky, he stood by her side in the end when it mattered the most. Ironically, even though he had acted in, “Love Story” he ended up living the real life version with no script, when he lost his great love Farrah to cancer. Farrah was a star of television and film, a gracefully beauty who privileged us all with her acting and modeling. Many fans will forever have a hole in their hearts. All the staff at NewAgeVenus.Com would like to send out our heartfelt sympathies to Farrah’s family. She was a shining star that will forever be missed. However, her bravery and gifts through her arts, will positively affect many generations.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/25/obit.fawcett/
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=7939402&page=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrah_Fawcett
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090630/ap_on_en_tv/us_farrah_fawcett_funeral
NBC’s Farrah’s Story aired May 2009