Whatever Happened to Advice Columnists Dear Abby and Ann Landers?

On Sunday I always buy a the local newspaper, and read it from beginning to end. This has been my habit for as long as I can remember. As I get older this is not as long as it used to be. I always look forward to reading the advice columnists. Mostly, for a laugh. The problems that people write columnists about never cease to amaze. Now, though, the advice columnists are not as fun or as sarcastic as the old days. Even though, Dear Abby's daughter, Jeanne Phillips writes the Dear Abby column they don't carry her here on Sunday. And, Ann Landers has gone to her great reward. Hopefully, God is not asking for her advice.

These two were the people the mothers, wives, and girlfriends read over breakfast and at coffee shops. They read the problems and answers to each other and had giggles and sometimes full-throated laughs.

Today's advice columnists in newspapers do not hold a candle to these two originals. If you don't know them, or about them, here are some facts.

Ann Landers and the original Dear Abby were twin sisters. They started out as very close siblings, both attending the same college, and getting married at the same ceremony. But, due to their chosen careers, they developed a hostility towards once another that lasted for many years. They wrote for opposing newspapers, and had pretty opposite writing styles. While Dear Abby was direct, Ann Landers could be sarcastic and harsh.

Two unanswered stories have been in the air about these two for some time. One, is the question about their feud. Did the two sisters ever end their disagreements? Did they ever come to reconciliation? The other questioning story is pretty grim. The question about Dear Abby's death. Is she really dead or not? This question has hung in the air as well.

My information states that Ann Landers and Dear Abby did make up. Their reconciliation did come to pass, but it continued to be acrimonious. There are still questions about Dear Abby's attitude since she is now a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. Many are unsure if she actually knows that her sister is dead.

That answers the second question. Is Dear Abby dead. Not as far as my research has shown. She is a victim of Alzheimer's disease and is living in a nursing home.

Those are the answers to the two biggest questions about the two sisters. Two sisters who began an advice columnist empire and whose names were synonymous with the genre until they both retired or passed away. They made the words, " Have you read Dear Abby or Ann Landers?' household words. They also gave us all something to think about and live by for a good part of our lives.