A Final Love Letter: Desi Arnaz’s Tribute to Lucille Ball In December 1986, the world lost a comedic legend, Desi Arnaz, just days before his ex-wife and longtime creative partner, Lucille Ball, was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors. Their love story, immortalized through their groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy, reached a poignant conclusion in the final days of Arnaz’s life. The day before his passing, Arnaz and Ball shared an intimate phone call, where they exchanged heartfelt words. “I lov

Today we remember Desi Arnaz who died on this day in 1986. Lucy and Desi spoke once more in the final days before his death on December 2, 1986. As Lucie remembers, “I got on the phone with my mother and said, ‘He’s barely speaking. He didn’t eat any of the dinner we fixed. He hasn’t eaten in three days. I don’t even know if he’ll understand what you’re saying, but I’ll put the phone up to his ear.’ She said, ‘Oh, okay.’ She was always trying to be so brave. You could hear her voice cracking. I

In memory of Desi Arnaz, who died on this day in 1986. | Hollywood Page of Death

Desi Arnaz Jr on the Art Linkletter show in 1958. | I Love Lucy Addicts