Actress Betty White never intended to be married, but her two unsuccessful unions helped her discover what she really wanted from a partner: love and support.
This was stressed in the book “How to be Golden: Lessons We Can Learn from Betty White” by author Paula Bernstein.
White, according to Bernstein, wanted a romantic relationship and someone who would encourage her rather than compete with her professionally.
White choose to remain single in order to avoid making the incorrect commitments, according to Bernstein, rather than continuing to be married to men who could not uphold their qualities:
She ‘definitely wasn’t going to give up her enormous Hollywood goals to become the ideal wife for some man.’
The comedian claimed that deciding to wed herself after her first two weddings was a blessing in disguise since the third time around, everything fell into place.
I was able to appreciate the genuine thing when it came around thanks to both of my marriages, White remarked.
When she first met Allen Ludden, her future third husband, she was reluctant to get married again.
White was hesitant to try marriage again after the TV personality proposed marriage, despite the fact that the two were the ideal fit in terms of temperament, intelligence, and wit.
She was based in California and did not want to relocate to New York, where Ludden resided with his children and taped the well-known game show ‘Password.’
Her hesitancy did not stop him, though. On a gold chain around his neck, Ludden wore the engagement ring he had used to request White’s hand in marriage. He promised to continue it till she consented to marry him.
In his second try, he brought his love a white plush bunny wearing gold earrings embellished with small diamonds, sapphires, and rubies, along with a note that read:
‘Plz answer YES.’
In front of White’s parents and Ludden’s kids, they exchanged wedding vows. The newlyweds went to the CBS studio right away to record ‘Password’ after they got married and returned from their honeymoon trip to New York.
White, who had spent her whole life in California, consented to move to a suburban house in Westchester County on the outskirts of New York City with her husband and stepchildren.
The three-parent family did not want to uproot the children, but the father of the family needed to be close to his place of employment.
Sarah and Martha were two of Ludden’s daughters, and David was one of his sons. Martha is the elder sister, but David is the oldest of the children.
White took over as their stepmother when she was still fairly young, and things reportedly did not go well. When Martha’s father remarried, she was a teenager and didn’t like it.
According to Pop Crunch and Closer Weekly, she became ‘angry against Betty.’ Martha was certain that her father shouldn’t wed the “Hot in Cleveland’ star:
‘Marth, who was still quite young, vehemently opposed the union. She expressed her hatred for Betty and expressed her intense rage towards her father.’
Prior to White’s arrival, a source claimed that Ludden and his daughter had a “tense” relationship; however, after she wed him, things got even worse.
‘Allen and Martha used to dispute frequently about her resentment of Betty. Her turbulent connection with her father greatly upset him, ‘said the insider.
White referred to her stepchildren as ‘the best stepchildren in the world’ in her New York Times bestseller ‘If You Ask Me,’ expressing her sincere love for them.
White acknowledged that she and Martha apparently had a rocky beginning, but said she and her stepchildren got along well: ‘So amazing, they called me ‘Dragon Lady,’’ she said.
White claimed that she and her family had always ‘loved each other sincerely’ and that she was ‘glad’ to be their stepmother. ‘Yet another significant blessing.’
Ludden received a terminal stomach cancer diagnosis while adjusting to their new life. Unfortunately, no therapy was effective.
White disclosed that the family had decided to forgo therapy and spend his final days with them as best they could after talking with his doctors.
In June 1981, Ludden sadly passed away. White’s friend talked about the couple’s love and said White was irreplaceable:
There will never be a man who can match Allen in her heart. White has previously acknowledged that Ludden was her one true love, saying, ‘Once you’ve had the best, why needs the rest?’
With her stepchildren, White celebrated her 98th birthday.
In January 2020, Closer Weekly stated that White intended to spend her 98th birthday, which falls on January 17, 2020, with close friends.
The TV legend continued to love drinking, joking, and telling stories, a friend told the publication.
According to the insider, White would give a birthday party at her house for some of her old friends and her still-close stepchildren.
The Illinois native, who was in her nineties and still in excellent condition, told Closer Weekly that she was fortunate to still be in ‘wonderful health’ at her age:
‘I’m really fortunate to be in good health. That is something you value greatly.’Tom Sullivan, an entertainer, said that the seasoned celebrity would read the entire LA Times newspaper each morning.
The Emmy Award-winning actress, according to Sullivan, often completed crossword puzzles in order to maintain her mental stability. She takes the activity seriously, he said, adding that.
White revealed that staying active and passionate about life were the keys to her staying young-looking well into her golden years. She said it was critical for someone to have a passion, adding:
‘It’s your way of thinking. Many of us begin to fear becoming older.Maximize your use of it.’At the age of 99, White sadly died away on December 31, 2021.
She was found dead in January 2022 after a cerebrovascular accident, according to People. It is commonly referred to as a stroke and occurs when blood flow is cut off to a portion of the brain, harming the brain tissue.
White ‘died quietly in her sleep,’ a source close to the situation told the site, adding that ‘it was a small stroke.’ Her longtime friend and agent, Jeff Witjas, claimed that she passed away ‘painlessly,’ which gave him comfort.