Why Are Betty White's Funeral Arrangements Being Held Privately?
For a moment, it seemed as though the world stopped on December 31 when people found out that actor Betty White had died. White's agent, Jeff Witjas, was one of the first people to break the news of her death, issuing a statement to the public. "Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever. I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much," Witjas told People of her passing. "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."
It seems like Ludden was on White's mind when she died, as his name was reportedly the last that she said. "[White's assistant] said the very last word out of her mouth was 'Allen,'" White's former co-star Vicki Lawrence told People. "How sweet is that? I said, 'That is so sweet. God, I hope that's true. For all of us, I really hope it's true, a lovely thought,'" Lawrence said of her exchange with Carol Burnett, who talked to Witjas.
White was married three times during her life, but it seemed as though the third time was a charm. White and Ludden remained married until 1981, when he lost died from stomach cancer. She's always had fond memories of him, and if there's any silver lining, it's that she will be reunited with him. But how will everyone else remember her?
Betty White didn't want others to 'make a fuss over her'
Sadly for fans of "Golden Girls" star Betty White, her funeral will be a private affair. For anyone wishing to pay their respects to the star, they will need to do it in another way. White's agent and longtime friend, Jeff Witjas, revealed to People that White's team is abiding by the late star's wishes, and while it may not be what a lot of people want to hear, it's what White wanted. "The arrangements are being handled privately, and that was Betty's wish. As in life, she never wanted people to make a fuss over her," Witjas told the outlet.
For people wishing to pay their respects to White, Witjas suggested a donation. "If someone has a desire to do something in her honor, you can support or donate to one or more of her favorite charities or even donate to a local animal charity of your choice," he shared, naming a few organizations (mostly animal-related) like the Los Angeles Zoo and Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Right now, it's unclear where White's final resting place will be though it does not appear that she will be laid to rest next to her late husband, Allen Ludden, in Wisconsin. After White's hometown of Oak Park, Illinois named January 17 "Betty White Day," they may have a case to be White's final resting place. But she's also rumored to be buried near Carmel, California, where she shared a home with Ludden.