Fans Mourn Death of Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood

As news spread of Elizabeth Taylor's death, a trickle of fans began to stop by the actress' star on the Walk of Fame on Wednesday morning.

Taylor, 79, died of congestive heart failure Wednesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Taylor's children—Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd and Maria Burton—were with her at the hospital when she died, according to her publicist, Sally Morrison.

The two-time Oscar-winner is also survived by 10 grandchildren
and four great-grandchildren.

Olivia Funtanellas, who was visiting from San Francisco, stopped by Taylor's star after she heard the news in a text from her mom.

"She’s one of the classics... like Humphrey Bogart and Grace Kelly," Funtanellas said. "She’s from that era and she’s just gone and there’s no one else really like her from that era."

“I didn’t think it would be like this,” she added, referring to the swarm of media gathered at the star, which is located in front of 6336 Hollywood Blvd. "I was here last year, and this was just like it with Michael Jackson, but it makes sense because she was the last living major Hollywood star."

Myra Renton, who was visiting from Ottowa, Canada, was sightseeing along Hollywood Boulevard with her husband when they came across the scene at Taylor's star.

"We  were just passing by and were a bit shocked to learn she had died," Renton said. "I think she was a marvelous woman. I love her acting, but more for her perseverance of life."

Renton said she admired Taylor's ability to overcome illnesses and hardships.

A wreath of violet hydrangeas and orchids was left on Taylor's star. The colors were chosen as a tribute to her "piercing violet-blue eyes," said Leron Gubler, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Taylor's star was among the original 1,500 installed in 1960, Gubler said.

"She was one of the superstars in early Hollywood," he said. "She represented glamour, she represented class. We saw her grow up in her first movies from the time she was a teenager until I think her final movie in The Flintstones, back in 1994. In that interim, she had some great roles, from National Velvet to Giant, A Place in the Sun, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Cleopatra. We could go on and on."

Taylor will also be remembered for her philanthropic efforts, Gubler said.

"She was one of the original pioneers in fighting AIDS when it was not popular to do that," he said. "Later on, everybody jumped onboard. She was there in the early days of the AIDS fight, saying this is a war that everyone should be fighting. There's a lot to admire about her."

City News Service contributed to this report.