'Dear Abby' Columnist Pauline Phillips Dies At 94

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The woman behind the famed "Dear Abby" column, Pauline Phillips, has died following a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Phillips, 94, died Wednesday in Minneapolis and private funeral services were held Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

The "Dear Abby" column first ran in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1955 – the same year Phillips' twin sister, Esther, began writing a competing column under the name Ann Landers.

As Abigail Van Buren, Phillips gave out advice that could be breezy, critical or compassionate.

In 2002, Phillips' daughter, Jeanne, took over the column, which runs in more than 1,000 newspapers.

"My mother leaves very big high heels to fill with a legacy of compassion, commitment and positive social change," Jeanne Phillips said in a statement, according to the AP.

Fans have placed flowers on Phillips' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.