Ms. Kitty died of AIDS at age 59.
Damn, I had no idea.
That character was called Miss Kitty.
Gunsmoke was created in the days before women's lib.
Ms. Kitty died of AIDS at age 59.
...
Being married to a gay man can do that to a person.
“Blake joined with others in 1971 to form the Arizona Animal Welfare League, today the oldest and largest “no-kill” animal shelter in the state. In 1985, she helped finance the start-up of the Performing Animal Welfare Society and devoted a great deal of time and money[clarification needed] in support of its efforts, including travels to Africa. Blake reportedly was a one-time board member of the Humane Society of the United States. In 1997, the Amanda Blake Memorial Wildlife Refuge opened at Rancho Seco Park in Herald, California. The refuge provides sanctuary for free-ranging African hoofed wildlife, most of which were originally destined for exotic animal auctions or hunting ranches.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Blake