2021 was a long, tough, and emotional year filled with many roller coasters and obstacles along the way. Just weeks before turning 100, Betty white, a beloved actress and comedian, unfortunately, passed away. 

So, who was Betty White? 

You may have heard of white from her famous role in Golden Girls; other roles she has cast are the Lorax, Toy story 4, Ponyo, and many more. 

Her career began at 8-years old. White has done many good things for her community; one of these examples is fighting against racial injustice. During the early 1950s, she had her very own TV show called “The Betty white show”. As her show grew bigger and bigger, she started to gain attraction for having Arthur Duncan. Duncan was a black tap dancer. This was very frowned upon during this time period. She was asked to remove Duncan from her show but she didn’t; she said” he stays, lives with it” during the documentary “ Betty White: First Lady of Television”. 

Furthermore, she was also an advocate and supporter of the LGBT community. White said “ If a couple has been together all that time – and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones – I think it’s fine if they want to get married. I don’t know how people can get so anti-something. Mind your own business, take care of your affairs, and don’t worry about other people so much.” 

 According to her death certificate, Betty White died on December 31, 2021, just 18 days before her birthday on January,17,1992, at the age of 99. Her cause of death is listed as a cerebrovascular accident on her death certificate, which is the medical word for a stroke. 

White’s long-term friend, Jeff Witjas, told ABC News” She died in her sleep, in her own bed. It’s as simple as that.” 

As her death began to circulate in the media, many people had to say a couple of words of wisdom. 

President Joe Biden issued a statement in which he described her as a “beautiful person” and a “cultural icon who will be greatly missed.” 

Barack and Michelle Obama also conveyed their condolences on social media. Michelle tweeted “Betty White broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh. She was also an animal lover and activist, and Bo loved spending time with her,”

The US Army issued a statement since White had enlisted with the American Women’s Voluntary Services during WWII. 

The Martin Luther King Jr. Center also expressed sorrow and lauded White for her early advocacy of racial equality. 

Numerous media organizations, celebrities, political analysts, sports teams, singers, and other prominent figures also paid their respects. White’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was deluged with flowers and condolences within hours of her death being announced. Betty White will always be in everybody’s heart. She will be remembered as a wife, mother, actor, and comedian. 

Betty White once said “I still want to make the most, and the best, of the time here, but I know there is one more adventure coming up, one big mystery to be solved”-Betty White