Edith Bunker

Edith Bunker
Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton, left) with her husband Archie (Carroll O'Connor, bottom). her daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers, right) and her son in law Mike "Meathead" Stivic (Rob Reiner, top) in cast photo
First appearance	"Meet the Bunkers" (All in the Family) (Original Air Date - January 12, 1971)
Last appearance	"The Shabbat Dinner" (Archie Bunker's Place) (Original Air Date - December 9, 1979)
Created by	Norman Lear
Portrayed by	Jean Stapleton
Information
Occupation	housewife elder-care caretaker
Family	Michael Stivic (son-in-law) Joey Stivic (grandson) Harry Baines (brother) Gertrude Baines (sister) Helen Baines (sister) Florence Chadbourne (aunt) Maude Findlay (cousin) Stephanie Mills ("niece") Floyd Mills (step-cousin) Marilyn Mills (step-cousin-in-law) Amelia DeKuyper (cousin) Russell DeKuyper (cousin-in-law) Liz (cousin) Rose (aunt) Iola (aunt) Clara (aunt) Elizabeth (aunt)
Spouse(s)	Archie Bunker (1948-1980, her death)
Children	Gloria Stivic (daughter)

Edith Bunker (nėe Baines) is a fictional 1970s sitcom character on All in the Family (and occasionally Archie Bunker's Place), played by Jean Stapleton. She was the wife of Archie Bunker (who often called her a ""), mother of Gloria Stivic, mother-in-law of Michael "Meathead" Stivic and after 1975, grandmother of Joey Stivic. Her cousin was Maude Findlay (Beatrice Arthur) who was one of Archie's nemeses.

Edith Bunker was a ditzy but cheery and loving woman. A native of New York City. She was born in October 1925 and died in her sleep of a stroke in September 1980, at age 54. She attended Millard Fillmore High School and was in the graduating class of 1943. Her high school only had one reunion and that was the 30th, in 1973, which she attended. There is not an exact date brought up when she met Archie, but the place was the Puritan Maid Ice Cream Parlor. In the episode "Archie Goes Too Far" Edith reads her diary and reveals that she was receiving letters in May 1943 from Archie while he was overseas serving in the Army Air Corps. Her character and accent changed somewhat between the first and second seasons. In the earliest episodes, she was 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 became the character more familiar to viewers: kind, utterly non-judgmental and fully dedicated to her husband. Also, in the first season, she pronounced her husband's name as "Ahchie" or even "Archie." In the 1st season 2nd episode "Writing the President" Edith remarks how before her marriage, in 1946 she got a job and started working for the "Hercules Plumbing Company". By the second season, her husband became "Awwchie." In the third season episode "The Battle of the Month" and fourth season episode "Gloria Sings the Blues," Edith reveals that her parents almost divorced after a nasty fight and that although they stayed married, things were never the same between them. This deeply affected Edith and her views on marriage, marital fighting, as well as how to treat other people. In the fourth season episode "Archie the Gambler," Edith reveals that her father was addicted to gambling and almost brought his family to ruin (an experience which led Edith to put her foot down twice regarding Archie's similar gambling problem).