Farewell messages for Ayten Gökçer from the worlds of art and politics

Ayten Gökçer, one of the doyennes of Turkish theater, has passed away in Istanbul.

Gökçer's funeral will be held on Wednesday, May 15, following the noon prayer, and she will be laid to rest in Istanbul's Zincirlikuyu Cemetery next to her husband, Cüneyt Gökçer.

Ayten Gökçer's daughter, Aslı Gökçer, stated: "Even while she was battling the illness, when she wasn't even in her right mind... We couldn't even convince our closest ones of her illness because her intelligence surpassed everything. Until the very end, she surprised us, made us burst into laughter, and gave us advice as if that wasn't enough. This time, she chose to go to her mother, to her Cüneyt, whom she never let fade from her heart... She took her Aslı, her Efe, her Yonca, her son-in-law Kerem, her Ayşen, her Cansu, and her Lal into her strong heart and left quietly. We loved you so much, mother, our hearts are so broken."

WHO SAID WHAT AFTER AYTEN GÖKÇER'S DEATH?

Ekrem İmamoğlu: We learned with sadness the news of the passing of Ayten Gökçer, a valuable name in our cinema and theater. I wish her God's mercy; I offer my condolences to her family, her loved ones, and our art community.

Mansur Yavaş: I learned with sadness the news of the passing of Ayten Gökçer, a valuable name in our theater and cinema. I wish her God's mercy, and I offer my condolences and patience to her loved ones and family.

Mehmet Nuri Ersoy: I learned with great sadness of the passing of Ayten Gökçer, one of the doyennes of our cinema and theater. I wish God's mercy upon our precious artist, who left deep marks behind with her art, and I offer my condolences to her relatives and our entire art community. May she rest in peace.

Muhittin Böcek: I learned with sadness the news of the passing of Ayten Gökçer, a master name of our theater and cinema. I wish her God's mercy; I offer my condolences to her family, her loved ones, and our art community.

Bahadır Erdem: I wish God's mercy upon Ayten Gökçer, a master actress of Turkish theater, who was one of the most vibrant and successful theater artists of my childhood in Ankara and the star of the biggest productions of the Great Theater in those years, with the sadness of losing her.

Tevfik Göksu: I wish God's mercy upon Ayten Gökçer, one of the doyenne artists of our country, whose passing we learned of today; I offer my condolences to her family, her relatives, and the entire art community.

Güven Hokna: I learned with sadness the news of the passing of the doyenne actress, my dear Ayten Gökçer. A tremendously good actress has passed from this world. May she rest in peace, may she sleep in light.

Hülya Koçyiğit: I learned with great sadness the news of the passing of Ayten Gökçer, a precious name in Turkish theater and cinema. Yet we had just remembered you yesterday... I don't know what to say. There is a moment, and that is now... I wish I had called you while I was remembering you.

Mahsun Kırmızıgül: Oh, my mother Ayten, oh. I am so sad... I received the news of the passing of Ayten Gökçer, a very valuable master name of our theater and cinema. I wish her God's mercy and patience to her grieving family and loved ones.

Berna Laçin: She was of a rarely seen beauty. And of the most genuine kind, at that. May God have mercy on her.

Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu: We received the news of the passing of Ayten Gökçer, one of the master names of theater and cinema; I am very sad. I offer my condolences to her family, her loved ones, and the entire art community.

Aylin Kotil: We are experiencing the sadness of losing Ayten Gökçer, a valuable name in our theater and cinema, a master actress who won the hearts of us all. I wish God's mercy upon our valuable artist; I offer my condolences and patience to her family, her loved ones, and the art community.

Gülsin Onay: We have lost Ayten Gökçer. May God have mercy on her. May she rest in peace. I wish patience to her family and loved ones. Condolences to Turkish theater.

İzzet Çapa: She was a great master... She was one of the legendary names of Turkish theater and cinema... Unfortunately, we have lost her... I am very, very sad... Our condolences...

Yekta Kopan: A great actress, an era. Our condolences.

WHO IS AYTEN GÖKÇER?

Born in Ankara, Ayten Gökçer was born on January 26, 1940. Gökçer, who began in the ballet department of the Ankara State Conservatory in 1952, started her career in the artist staff of the Ankara State Theater in 1958.

Ayten Gökçer, who married theater actor Cüneyt Gökçer in 1964, has a daughter named Aslı Gökçer Oba. Her husband, the theater actor Cüneyt Gökçer, passed away on December 23, 2009.

She began her cinema career in 1965 with the film "Taçsız Kral" (The Crownless King), directed by Atıf Yılmaz, in which she shared the lead role with Ajda Pekkan, Erol Taş, Gönül Yazar, and the legendary Galatasaray footballer and top scorer Metin Oktay. However, she placed more importance on theater than cinema. She played the lead role of Hürmüz in the musical "Yedi Kocalı Hürmüz".

AWARDS WON BY AYTEN GÖKÇER

Ayten Gökçer, who became a State Artist in 1988, won many awards. In 1999, she began acting in television series with the series "Yılan Hikayesi". Some of the awards Gökçer won are as follows:

1966 - 1967 Art Lovers Association Best Actress of the Year Award

1970 - 1971 Art Lovers Association Best Actress of the Year Award

1974 Journalists Association Best Artist Award

1975 Journalists Association Best Female Artist Award

1976 Tercüman Newspaper Reader's Choice Artist of the Year Award

1982 Ses Magazine Best Female Artist of the Year Award

1989 Turkish Press Association Most Successful Female Artist of the Year Award

1990 Turkish Press Association Most Successful Female Artist of the Year Award

1992 Ministry of Culture Grand Prize

1997 Turkish Businesswomen's Association Best Artist Award