Before the nurses station on "General Hospital" had Nurse Amy Driscoll (Risa Dorken) at the helm, it had Nurse Amy Vining, the adopted sister of the show's longtime lead heroine, Laura (Genie Francis). 

Amy Vining was just as much of a gossip with a heart of gold as Amy Driscoll, dishing out the dirt on the goings-on in the hospital halls (and closets). Played by Shell Kepler from 1979 to 2002, she was beloved by fans (via IMDb). 

In 2008, Kepler died in Portland, Oregon, at the age of 49 from renal failure. She had been working as a charity fundraiser there, according to Soaps.com.

After her death, her longtime co-star Jacklyn Zeman, who still plays Nurse Bobbie Spencer as of this writing, paid tribute to her friend. 

"Shell was always generous with her time, energy, and creativity. She had a beautiful home and she loved to have her family and friends come over," Zeman told Soaps.com. "She created a warm and loving atmosphere and she would cook incredible meals and make sure everyone was happy and taken care of."