Betty White's Illinois Hometown Is Turning The Late Star's Birthday Into A Holiday! Get Details On The Festivities
Betty White's legacy will live on in her hometown of Oak Park, Illinois.
The beloved actress, who passed away at age 99 on December 31, was born in the town in 1922, and though her family moved to California a year later, the late icon always had great things to say about the area and returned often.
That's why the village's president Vicki Scaman is declaring January 17 — what would have been the hilarious star's 100th birthday — as "Betty White Day."
According to TMZ, Scaman will read a proclamation for the special event a few days beforehand, which will also act as a local memorial.
On Betty White Day, the community's local businesses will also pay tribute to the Golden Girls lead.
For example, Mickey's Restaurant will offer her favorite meal: a hotdog, fries and a diet coke, while Turano Bakery will whip up an oversized birthday cake.
In addition, there will be cutouts of White adorning walls and fences, and a mural contest will be held, with the winner getting the opportunity to recreate their painting downtown.
Scaman stated that Oak Park plans to celebrate Betty White Day for years to come.
The Proposal star will be honored nationwide as well, as prior to her death, a retrospective on her career was set to debut in movie theaters. Originally titled Betty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebration, the work has been renamed Betty White: A Celebration.
The special features tributes from her close celeb pals, such as Ryan Reynolds and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
White's death was confirmed by her agent Jeff Witjas.
"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," he stated. "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. Betty died peacefully in her sleep at her home early this morning."