LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Funeral services were pending Tuesday for veteran stage, screen and TV actress Conchata Ferrell, perhaps best remembered for her role as Charlie Sheen's sharp-witted housekeeper Berta on the long-running sitcom "Two and a Half Men."
"She was a beautiful human," her "Two and a Half Men" co-star Jon Cryer wrote on his Twitter page. "Berta's gruff exterior was an invention of the writers. Chatty's warmth and vulnerability were her real strengths. I'm crying for the woman I'll miss, and the joy she brought so many.
"... I'm glad that I absolutely knew how fortunate I was to share a stage with her," he wrote. "I treasured every moment and will continue to until we meet again. I have a feeling she'll call me 'Zippy."'
Sheen tweeted, "An absolute sweetheart, a consummate pro, a genuine friend, a shocking and painful loss. Berta, your housekeeping was a tad suspect, your `people' keeping was perfect."
Ferrell, 77, died Monday, surrounded by family at Sherman Oaks Hospital, the celebrity news website Deadline reported.
Ferrell had been hospitalized since May. TMZ reported in July that she had fallen ill and wound up spending a month in intensive care, eventually suffering cardiac arrest that left her on a ventilator and unable to communicate. She was ultimately transferred to a long-term care facility, with her husband, Arnie Anderson, telling the website the family was hoping for the best.
A native of West Virginia, Ferrell had an award-winning stage career before moving on to films and television. She earned a pair of Emmy nominations for her work on "Two and a Half Men." She was also nominated for her work on "L.A. Law."
She appeared in a series of notable films, including the classics "Network" and "Mystic Pizza," along with "Erin Brockovich" and "Edward Scissorhands."
On the small screen, she appeared in a string of shows dating back to the mid-1970s, including "Maude," "B.J. and the Bear," "Hearts Afire," "Teen Angel," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Touched by an Angel" and most recently "The Ranch."
She is survived by her husband and daughter, Samantha.
