Monica’s funeral becomes a deeply emotional farewell as the General Hospital cast mourns Leslie Charleson in real life.
This week on General Hospital, viewers will witness the memorial service for Monica Quartermaine, a character beloved since her 1977 debut. The grief feels all too real. Leslie Charleson, who played Monica for nearly five decades, passed away in January at the age of 79. These episodes double as a farewell to both Monica and the actress who helped shape the Quartermaine legacy.
A Memorial Steeped in Reality
At All Saints Chapel, Jason (Steve Burton) arrives early, reflecting on how much the past year at the mansion deepened his bond with Monica. Jason’s quiet grief sets the tone as family and friends gather. Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) confides to Chase (Josh Swickard) that everyone mourns differently, while Ned (Wally Kurth) admits to Olivia (Lisa LoCicero) that he still feels Monica’s presence in the house.
The chapel slowly fills with mourners who recall the ways Monica influenced their lives. Yet the focus soon shifts to Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot). Though she insists she won’t speak, loved ones hope she’ll honor Monica with words as well as presence.
Mourning Twice
For Elliot, the weight of the storyline mirrors her own grief. “It was very, very difficult to play her alive when she had already passed in real life. It extended the mourning because we had to keep her alive when she wasn’t,” Elliot explained to Variety. “I had to mourn her death twice.”
Elliot and Charleson’s bond stretched back decades, long before Tracy and Monica’s onscreen battles. Off-screen, they built a lasting friendship marked by shared milestones and family celebrations. Elliot says the loss feels twofold: “Monica was Leslie, and Leslie was Monica.”
The Last Two Standing
Tracy’s sorrow reflects Elliot’s reality. Once rivals, Monica and Tracy grew to respect one another as equals. With so many Quartermaines gone, Monica was the last contemporary who stood beside Tracy. Her passing leaves Tracy — and Elliot — profoundly alone, marking the end of an era for General Hospital.
