Pauline Phillips has died at 94

[Ned]

Pauline Ester Phillips (aka Abigail Van Buren) (July 4, 1918 – January 16, 2013) who created the "Dear Abby" column in 1956, died earlier today.

During her decades writing the "Dear Abby" column, it became the most widely-syndicated newspaper column in the world, syndicated in hundreds of newspapers around the world with tens of millions of readers.

She chose the name "Abigail" after the Old Testament prophetess from the Book of Samuel: Then David said to Abigail ... ‘Blessed is your advice and blessed are you. "Van Buren" was used after the president, Martin Van Buren.

She had been years of battling Alzheimer's disease for the last decade.

Her identical twin sister, Esther Pauline Friedman was "Ann Landers" who also wrote a syndicated advice column. She died in 2002.

"Abby" was an honorary member of Women in Communications, the American College of Psychiatrists, and the National Council of Jewish Women.