The death of a character in a show can be difficult to stomach. We’d love to give some examples, but the wrath of an Internet scorned through spoilers is something nobody should have to face. In the case of an animated show like The Simpsons, death becomes an even tougher pill to swallow as it almost invariably stems from the death of a real person, not simply a character on a show.

The SimpsonsThe Simpsons has been running for 25 seasons, and counting...

When the late Marcia Wallace said goodbye following a battle against cancer last October, Edna Krabappel would soon follow. Of course, any tribute within The Simpsons for Edna Krabappel is both a touching tribute to the character Wallace brought life (and consummate pessimism) to, but also a dedication to the person Wallace was.

Ned Flanders is the latest Simpsons stalwart to pay his respects to Krabappel, whose ‘Hah!’ laugh became a memorable catchphrase alongside ‘eat my shorts’ and ‘Doh!’. In the final moments of The Man Who Grew Too Much, Flanders remembers his old friend, saying: “I sure do miss that laugh”.

It’s not the first time The Simpsons have included an on-screen tribute to their lost friend. Back in November, during the opening titles of the show, instead of penning a statement regarding some bad behavior, Bart wrote “We’ll really miss you Mrs. K,” on the chalkboard.

There was also a nod to the late Mrs. K in the The Simpsons' Christmas episode when it aired in the US. In the episode's elaborate opening credits, Edna Krabappel could be seen with her favorite coffee cup and a pair of wings and a halo. Al Jean, The Simpsons executive producer, told E! News: "We wanted to do a tribute to two terrific people, Marcia and Don. The episode was, sadly, Don's last."