She later migrated to New York City, where she lived most of her life and died in her sleep of a stroke in September 1980, at age 55.

In the earliest episodes, she is the "put-upon wife," often bemoaning (though softly) her husband's behavior or comments: also during the first season, Jean Stapleton spoke more in her own range (albeit with a pronounced accent), rather than the nasal, high pitched voice for which Edith is generally remembered.

By the second season, she becomes the character more familiar to viewers: kind, utterly non-judgmental, and fully dedicated to her husband.

In the second episode of the first season, "Writing the President", Edith remarks how, before her marriage in 1946, she got a job and started working for the "Hercules Plumbing Company".

Though her opinions sometimes sharply differ from Archie's, she is intensely loyal to her husband, often sticks up for him and stands by him in his times of need.

For example, in a conversation with Gloria, Edith stated that she favored capital punishment, "as long as it ain't too severe."

Edith was popular among audiences for her sweetness, unconditionally loving everyone she knew and staying optimistic during tragedy.

Examples of this are shown through her friendships with Louise Jefferson and drag queen Beverly LaSalle, both of whom Archie is less cooperative with.

In contrast, in a memorable episode in the show's second season, Edith uncharacteristically snaps at Archie, repeatedly telling him (as he frequently did to her) to "stifle".

After a visit to the doctor, Gloria explains to Archie that he needs to be sensitive to the fact that Edith is going through menopause.

(In truth, she wasn't a legal partner, as Archie forged her signature on the bank loan application for the purchase of the pub.)

Edith loses her job at the Sunshine Home in 1979 (for violating company policy by allowing a terminally ill woman to die and failing to inform the staff), but in an early episode of Archie Bunker's Place, she finds a similar caretaker's job at a mental health facility.

In both instances, Edith warned Archie to back off and says that God should be left to deal with those matters and the people involved.

Edith also serves as the voice of reason for Mike and on several occasions corrects him when, as she says, "He's been acting all stuck up."

Beneath his crusty, irascible exterior, Archie is intensely protective of Edith and becomes upset at the mere thought of losing her.

Near the episode's end, after neighbors and friends had removed Edith's personal items to help him to cope, Archie, alone in the now-empty bedroom, finds one of her pink slippers left behind underneath the bed, and breaks down in tears as he recalls the morning he discovered Edith had died in her sleep during the night: "It wasn't s'posed to be like this, y'know; I was s'posed to be the first one to go.

[5][6] Stapleton later appeared as a presenter on the 1981 Primetime Emmy Awards telecast (after the episode "Archie Alone" aired) and said to the viewing audience: "See!