Bold & Beautiful Patriarch Fondly Remembers His Late Leading Lady: ‘She Beautifully Passed Through My Life’

Patrick Duffy has had one heck of a career, adventuring as the Man from Atlantis and taking a deep dive into soapy drama with Dallas’ Bobby Ewing and The Bold and the Beautiful‘ Stephen Logan. But in between, he’s also made a name for himself in comedy — probably most notably for seven seasons on Step By Step when he and the late Suzanne Somers played parents to a blended family in a ’90s take on The Brady Bunch.

It was casting genius, bringing two of the most popular stars of the ’70s into a show together and Duffy spoke fondly of his late co-star when he talked to People after breast cancer sadly claimed her life on October 15.

“I was stunned yesterday by the news that my dear and deep friend Suzanne had passed,” he shared. “For that brief moment it was unbelievable. But indeed she has passed. She beautifully passed through my life on this leg of her endless journey. My task now is to remain on the roadside as she continues on.”

He shared that he’ll miss “the phone calls, the emails, the visits, and the meals and laughter,” and it sounds like they had planned a meeting just before her passing that, sadly had to be canceled.

“Had we had that meeting last Friday I would still be yearning for just one more today,” Duffy told People. “What strength and support I can muster I send to [husband] Alan and [son] Bruce and her family and to her I say; When the stone of your life dropped in this pond you made quite a ripple, my friend. Thank you.”

We couldn’t have put it more beautifully. You can check out the duo below as Frank and Carol Lambert in the role that made them fast friends.