Known for portraying Monica Quartermaine on “General Hospital,” soap opera veteran Leslie Charleson passed away. Her age was 79.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, executive producer Frank Valentini of “General Hospital” revealed Charleson’s passing. A person close to the matter who was not permitted to speak publicly confirmed to USA TODAY that the actress passed away due to complications from a protracted illness.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” Valentini wrote in her letter. Leslie was a cherished matriarch of the entire cast and crew, and her legacy has endured for almost 50 years on ‘General Hospital’ alone. Monica was the Quartermaines’ heart.

“I will miss our daily conversations, her sharp sense of humor, and her amazing presence on set. From the entire staff at ‘General Hospital,’ my deepest sympathies are with her family during this trying time.”

According to her IMDb page, Charleson made her “General Hospital” debut in 1977 as Dr. Quartermaine and went on to appear in over 2,000 episodes over almost 50 years.

“I only signed on for two years, and I don’t know what happened,” Charleson said in a 2019 interview with Digital Journal about her lengthy tenure on the ABC drama. I like everything about her, including her independence and spunk. There weren’t many strong female roles with that in those days. It was an incredible moment with powerful material for action.

Prior to her role on “General Hospital,” Charleson gained experience as an actress in television dramas like “A Flame in the Wind” and “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing.” Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, she also made appearances in a number of other television shows, such as “Marcus Welby, M.D.”; “As the World Turns,” “N.Y.P.D.”; and “The Rookies.”

Charleson returned to her role on “General Hospital” over the years, appearing in the spin-offs “Port Charles” and “General Hospital: Night Shift.”

Charleson rarely left Port Charles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, except to occasionally appear as a guest on sitcoms like “Dharma & Greg” and “Friends.”

According to IMDb, Charleson’s last episode of “General Hospital” was “Everything You Ever Wanted,” which aired in December 2023.