She was part of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, one of the greatest sitcoms in TV history, also starred for a brief time in her own series, "Rhoda" and was the lead for a while in "Valerie's Family." 

It sounds strange to say, but I'm surprised she made it to 80. She was diagnosed with brain cancer almost a decade ago and her doctor only gave her a few months to live. Turns out, she had a lot longer than that. 

The AP: Valerie Harper, TV's Rhoda, Has Died At 80