Florence suffered heart failure, according to her publicist, when she died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She was surrounded by family members at the hospital.

Her role as the "Brady Bunch" mom was one of the most beloved characters for generations of TV sitcom fans, but Florence was also a huge Broadway star even before her Brady fame.

She starred in musicals such as "Fanny," "Oklahoma" and "Wish You Were Here."

She played mama Brady from 1969 to 1974 -- the show's original run -- but, of course, played the role many times again in TV specials, TV movies, and feature films.

"The Brady Bunch " -- a show about a widow with 3 daughters who married a widower with 3 sons -- ran from 1969 to 1974. It stood out partly because it was so perky and upbeat at a time of major strife ... the Vietnam war.

Florence seemed fine until a few days ago, when she was hospitalized at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in L.A. ... where she died.

RIP

She played grandma Brady in "The Brady Bunch Movie" in 1995, while Shelly Long played the character Florence created.

Florence had 4 kids and 5 grandkids. She was 82.