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East Village Resident and Video-Series Star Tweets from the Afterlife

By Nicole Levy | May 25, 2016 3:11pm | Updated on May 25, 2016 3:20pm

She's as sassy in death as she was in life.

When long-time East Village resident Lorraine Levine died Sunday at age 87, her Twitter account shared the news with the same irreverent sense of humor she showed off in the candid, expletive-studded video advice column that had made her semi-Internet famous, "Ask My Neighbor Lorraine."

"I announced Lorraine's death the way I did because that's the way she wanted it," said Levine's neighbor and the series' videographer, Robert La Force, in an email. "Laugh at everything. 'If you can laugh at life it doesn't suck.'"

La Force has continued to post tweets from the afterlife on Levine's behalf, updating her account's bio to read, "Elderly New York Jewish broad who doesn't give a rat's ass. Recently dead (5-22-16) and still doesn't give a rat's ass."

Born to a family of Russian Jewish entertainers in Brighton Beach, Levine didn't intentionally play the part of comedienne until last March, when La Force started posting clips of her answers to questions like "What's the best hangover cure?" and "Is the third marriage a charm?" The TV producer and writer launched her Twitter account in April.

Levine's videos, one of which has racked up 12,251 views, earned her a brief profile on the viral Internet video-ranking British TV show "Rude Tube."

Closer to home, the former antique dealer was often seen walking her dog Molly and chatting with neighbors. 

A memorial in Levine's honor was held Wednesday morning at the Thomas C. Montera, Inc. Funeral Home in Soundview in the Bronx, followed by a small get-together in her East Village apartment on East 5th Street. ("Making everyone schlep to the Bronx because it was the only place in NYC where I could get services at a discount," her ghost said on Twitter.) 

A larger celebration will take place on 5th Street in June, La Force told DNAinfo. 

In the meantime, she wouldn't want anyone mourning her death, he insisted. 

"'I don't want anyone to sit Shiva. Go out and have a party, drink, get laid, something, but don't mourn me,'" he wrote, channeling his muse.

Her online fans expressed their heartbreak in emoji form, but also sent their well wishes.

Levine's death was first reported by EV Grieve