Lorraine and Ed Warren may be the most famous paranormal investigators in American history, and their adventures into the worlds of ghosts, demons, hauntings, and spirits, have inspired some of the most popular horror movies ever, most notably The Conjuring series, and its spinoff, Annabelle. Ed Warren passed away in 2006; sadly, Lorraine died yesterday. She was 92 years old.

Her grandson left this tribute on his Facebook page:

Last night my grandmother, Lorraine Warren, quietly and peacefully left us to join her beloved Ed. She was happy and laughing until the very end. She was my angel and my hero, and she will be deeply missed. Please join us in celebrating her life and honoring her beautiful soul. Remember to treasure those you love while you can. Thank you and God bless you all.”

Lorraine Warren was born in 1927; by the 1960s, she and Ed were well-known ghost hunters. Their first interactions with the doll known as Annabelle came in 1968. In 1971, they investigated the house that eventually became the inspiration for the first Conjuring movie, where Lorraine was played by Vera Farmiga. (Ed was portrayed by Patrick Wilson.) They also investigated the house at the center of The Amityville Horror, although they weren’t included in the movie versions of that story.

Additional cases of the Warrens inspired The Conjuring 2 and provided the material that will supposedly become The Conjuring 3. (In a curious bit of timing, the latest Conjuring spinoff, The Curse of La Llorona, opens in theaters today.) Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there is no disputing the fact that the Warren’s long career helped perpetuate belief in the supernatural — and led to some of the scariest movies ever made.

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