Ruth Buzzi, the comedian whose character Gladys Ormphby used her handbag as a deadly weapon in the show “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” died Thurday at the age of 88 from complications from Alzheimer’s.

“Ruth Buzzi brought a singular energy and charm to sketch comedy that made her a standout on Laugh-In and the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts,” Journey Gunderson, National Comedy Center executive director, said in a statement. “Her characters, especially the unforgettable Gladys Ormphby, captured the delightful absurdity of the era. We remember her with admiration and appreciation for the joy and laughter she brought to generations of fans.”

Buzzi died at her home near Fort Worth, Texas, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She had been bedridden since 2022 when she suffered a series of strokes, her husband, actor Kent Perkins, shared publicly.

The daughter of a sculptor, Buzzi was born in Rhode Island in 1936. She turned to comedy in school at the encouragement of a ballet teacher who encouraged her to make light of her performance while the other students danced the routine.

She appeared in shows like That Girl, Sesame Street, and The Lost Saucer, another children’s show. She was in the original Broadway production of Sweet Charity.

She did a comedy act with Dom DeLuise early in her career, and acted on Laugh-In between 1967 and 1973. Her characters included drunk Doris Swizzle, Busy Buzzi, Kim Hither and Laverne Blossom.

She is survived by her husband.