LOS ANGELES, Ca. (WRIC/AP) — Betty White died in her home this morning, according to reports from TMZ and People. She was 99 years old.
TMZ said that law enforcement sources gave them the information about the actress’ death.
People Magazine later reported that her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas confirmed White’s passing.
“Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever,” Witjas told People in a statement on Friday. “I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don’t think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again.”
White was about to turn 100 on Jan. 17, and had just tweeted on Dec. 28, that People magazine would be publishing a special edition about it.
According to her IMDB, White was born in Oak Park, Illinois in 1922 and graduated from Beverly Hills High School at 17 in 1939.
White is most known for her roles as Rose Nylund from the hit TV show “Golden Girls,” which ran from 1985 to 1992, and Sue Ann Nivens on the sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which ran from 1970 to 1977.
However, the Associated Press said White’s popularity boomed in 2010 when she was featured in a Super Bowl Snicker’s commercial. She impersonated a man getting tackled during a backlot football game.
“Mike, you’re playing like Betty White out there,” one of the man’s friends said mocking him. White fired back at him, “That’s not what your girlfriend said!”
This lead to a Facebook campaign for Betty White to host SNL — which she did on a Mother’s Day weekend show. AP said this appearance earned White her seventh Emmy.
In addition to her live-action roles, she also voice acted for a variety of animated films such as Grammy Norma in the 2012 movie “The Lorax,” Bitey White in “Toy Story 4” and “Forky Asks a Question” and even an episode of the popular show “Spongebob SquarePants.”
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
