Annette Funicello Dead at Age 70

She was,without a doubt the most popular of the original Musketeers. She carried a lot of us over into our teen years with her whole "Beach Party" movie franchise.

Of course, it's been no secret that Annette has been in very poor health since her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis while she was filming "Back to the Beach" in 1987.

Annette spent her final years mostly confined to a wheelchair, specially designed by her husband with a seat from a harness-racing sulky. Her home for the past 40 years was a smoky-blue ranch house in Encino, Calif., with frilly, white wrought iron fencing that she called "my good-luck house."

In her autobiography, Funicello wrote, "It's funny, but sometimes when I feel discouraged or have a problem I can't work out, I find myself thinking, 'If only Mr. Disney were here, he would know what to do.' "

Survivors include her husband, daughter Gina, and sons Jack Jr., and Jason. Donations in her honor can be sent to the Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Disorders.