FAREWELL TO DEAR ABBY

One of Sioux City's best known citizens has died.

Pauline Friedman Phillips, who under the name of Abigail Van Buren wrote the long-running "Dear Abby" advice column, has died at age 94.

Her publicist says Phillips died Wednesday after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

By the time her family revealed she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2002, her daughter had taken over the column.

Phillips' column competed for decades with the advice column of her twin sister Ann Landers, who was born Esther Friedman

Pauline and Esther had a sometimes stormy relationship in their early adult years, but later they regained the close relationship they had growing up in Sioux City. Both were graduates of Central High School.

Landers died in June 2002.

Associated Press contributed to this story.