Betty White’s Illinois hometown seeks to honor late TV icon

Betty White’s Illinois hometown seeks to honor late TV icon

Betty White’s Illinois hometown is set to host a celebration of the late TV icon’s life on Jan. 15, days before her 100th birthday, Fox News Digital can confirm.

The live event will take place in Oak Park in front of the Lake Theater.

Oak Park will also celebrate White with a centennial special section “Be Like Betty” in the newspaper on Jan. 12, a spokesperson for the city told Fox News Digital.

Betty White’s Illinois hometown will hold a celebration of the late TV icon’s life days before what would have been the actress’ 100th birthday. (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)

The Jan. 15 celebration will most likely be a 30-minute program and will feature cutouts of White, a birthday cake baked by Turano Baking Company and a “Golden Girls” balloon awning.

Cindy Fee, the musician who sang the “Golden Girls” theme song, will also be in attendance. She will perform a live version of “Thank You for Being a Friend.”

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White passed away on Dec. 31 of natural causes. She will be laid to rest in a private ceremony, according to her agent.

The city also hopes to set up a pet adoption event in honor of White’s love for animals.

White passed away on Dec. 31, weeks before what would have been her 100th birthday. The actress died of natural causes, and White’s agent and close friend Jeff Witjas clarified that her death had nothing to do with a coronavirus booster shot in a statement to People magazine.

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“Betty died peacefully in her sleep at her home. People are saying her death was related to getting a booster shot three days earlier, but that is not true.”

“She died of natural causes. Her death should not be politicized — that is not the life she lived,” Witjas said.

The actress was most known for her roles in ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ and ‘Golden Girls.’ (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)

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Witjas also confirmed to People magazine that White will be laid to rest in a private ceremony.