Alma Wahlberg Leaves Behind a Family Legacy, and a Friend Who Loved Her Deeply

Following the news of Alma Wahlberg's death at the age of 78, those who knew her best began to pay tribute to the life she had led. Her sons, Mark and Donnie, both have successful careers in Hollywood, but Alma achieved some level of fame on her own after appearing in Wahlburgers, a reality series that followed the family as they attempted to run a restaurant. 

After news of her death broke, both Mark and Donnie took to social media to pay tribute to her life. "My Angel. Rest in peace,"  Mark wrote in the caption of a photo of Alma on Instagram. 

 "My mom Alma's joy for life, love and people -- combined with a pride in her humble beginnings and refusal to forget where she came from -- undoubtedly shaped me into the man that I am," Donnie added on his own post. 

"I've often said, if you like anything about me, I got it from Alma," he continued. "I say that because it's true. She was, without a doubt, the most loving human being I've ever known. I never heard her say, or do, anything disrespectful to anyone. She was, as anybody who ever came across her knows, true blue. Like so many moms who struggled, overcame odds, made something from nothing and pulled off the impossible for their children, she never complained." 

Although Alma's tributes from her sons were a moving reminder of the family legacy she's left behind, there were also some longtime Walhburgers fans who wanted to know how Alma's good friend Phyllis was dealing with the news. 

Phyllis Cosgrove was not a member of the Wahlberg family, but she was the next best thing, and frequently appeared on Wahlburgers as one of Alma's best buds. 

Although she made somewhat regular appearance on the show, Phyllis was not a public figure the way Alma or her children were. As a result, there's not much publicly available information on Phyllis or what she's been up to more recently. At one point, she did have a Twitter account, although it seems like it hasn't been active in nearly four years. When she was posting, Phyllis frequently wrote about Alma or her experience on the show. 

"Thanks to all of you who have tweeted," she wrote in one 2016 tweet. "It is so much fun doing the show.  Love the family and crew.  All genuine people." 

During one memorable appearance on the series, Alma and Phyllis caused a mess in the restaurant kitchen as they attempted to do a little baking. 

Sequences like this suggested the warm relationship that existed between Alma and Phyllis, and also speaks to how lively Alma remained through the final years of her life. As her children suggested in their tributes, Alma seems to have been a warm and kind person, and she was never more charming than when she was getting into a little trouble with Phyllis.