Ginnie Newhart, longtime wife of Bob Newhart, dead at 82

Ginnie Newhart, the longtime wife of comedian Bob Newhart, has died at age 82, her family announced.

She died Sunday in Los Angeles after a long illness, a representative confirmed to the Daily News.

“She was our rock and we miss her terribly,” reads a statement shared on Bob Newhart’s Twitter page.

Ginnie was said to come up with the memorable ending to her husband’s series “Newhart,” which starred Bob as an author and Vermont inn owner. The final episode aired in 1990 and featured the revelation that the entire show was a dream by Dr. Robert Hartley, the psychologist previously played by Newhart in his 1970s sitcom, “The Bob Newhart Show.”

Bob, 93, and Ginnie Newhart met on a blind date set up by actor-comedian Buddy Hackett. Her death occurred three months after the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

“The marriages of comedians, no matter how stormy, seem to last a long time, and I attribute it to laughter,” Bob Newhart told Parade magazine last year. “No matter how intense the argument you’re having, you can find a line, and then you both look at each other and start laughing. It’s over, you know?”

Ginnie’s father was the New York-born actor Bill Quinn, whose film credits included 1963′s “The Birds,” 1983′s “Twilight Zone: The Movie” and 1989′s “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.” He also had a regular role on “Archie Bunker’s Place” and made multiple appearances on “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Newhart.”

In addition to her husband, Ginnie is survived by their four kids and 10 grandchildren.

With News Wire Services