1. Marcia Wallace (1942-2013)
The loss of Phil Hartman was more tragic and devastating due to the sudden nature of his death: the 2013 loss of Marcia Wallace to pneumonia and sepsis
, however, is still fresh, and- depending how much longer the show continues- time will tell if her death has more of a residual effect on
The Simpsons than his. But looking at Mrs. Krabappel's role and past on the show, it will not be difficult to predict that her death will be felt on-screen for years. Wallace's lone character, Mrs. Krabappel was more of a regular-character than any of the other late-actors/actresses' characters listed, and her interactions with Bart as his nemesis, with Principal Skinner and Ned Flanders as a lover, with Rod and Todd as their new step-mother, and with her fellow teachers and administration at Springfield Elementary were each entertaining, funny, and touching in their own rights. Such interactions were always just assumed to forever be a part of the show. With the announcement that Edna will be retired following Wallace's death- and the touching goodbye from her widower Ned and school-bully Nelson at the conclusion of Season 25's "The Man Who Grew Too Much"- the writers/producers are going to either have to "hire" a new teacher for Bart, or stay out of his fourth-grade classroom indefinitely, which will be a huge potential loss of humor for the show. Were there others that I missed you would have liked to have seen? Audrey Meadows as Grandpa's girlfriend Beatrice "Bea" Simmons? Jim Varney as the hoodwinking-carney Cooder? Rod Steiger as Homer's captain in the Navy, Captain Tenille? Share your memories/arguments in the comments.