The celebration of a new year was overshadowed by the upsetting news that we had lost a widely beloved national treasure. On December 31, 2021, Betty White passed away , due to a stroke, at the age of 99.
The comedically gifted actress was an undisputed legend of the screen, having earned 21 Emmy Award nominations and taking home five. Two wins were for playing the hilariously two-faced Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and another was as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls . Her popularity would continue to rise when she starred in the hit rom-com The Proposal and became the oldest person to ever host Saturday Night Live (and one of the best hosts period , if you ask us).
It is still tough to accept that she is gone, but at least we can be thankful for the many decades of warmth and laughter that Betty White brought us that could never be replaced or repeated. We honor how this one-in-a-million talent touched the lives of so many with a look back on her own life in pictures.
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Betty White in a publicity shot taken for her daytime talk show The Betty White Show in 1954 (Image credit: De Carvalho Collection / Contributor)
A promotional studio portrait of Betty White in 1955 (Image credit: Hulton Archive / Stringer)
Betty White in Date with the Angels in 1957 (Image credit: ABC Photo Archives / Contributor)
The Famous "Betty" Smile from Betty White in 1960 (Image credit: Bettmann / Contributor)
Betty White as a guest on the Gameshow PASSWORD in 1965 with host Allen Ludden and guest Arlene Francis (Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)
Betty White with Husband Allen Ludden in a publicity shot for PASSWORD in 1966 (Image credit: De Carvalho Collection / Contributor)
A portrait Betty White in 1966, frequent guest of gameshow PASSWORD (Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)
Betty White at the 20th Annual Radio and Television Guild Benefit Gala in 1968 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White and Allen Ludden in a shoot for Ludden At Home Layout in 1972 (Image credit: ABC Photo Archives / Contributor)
A publicity photo of Betty White in 1975 who plays Sue Ann Nivens in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)
Betty White receiving an Emmy for The Mary Tyler Moore show in 1976 (Image credit: ABC Photo Archives / Contributor)
Betty White on The Betty White Show in 1977 (Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)
Betty White appearing in ABC TV series Snavely in 1978 (Image credit: Walt Disney Television Photo Archives / Contributor)
Betty White at a taping of The Merv Griffin Show in 1979 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White in The Love Boat in 1981 (Image credit: ABC Photo Archives / Contributor)
Betty White at an event in Los Angeles, California in 1983 (Image credit: Donaldson Collection / Contributor)
Betty White in 1984 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White in The Golden Girls S1 E1 in 1985 (Image credit: NBC)
Betty White at the 12th Annual People's Choice Awards in 1986 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White at the St. Jude Gala in 1987 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
The 2nd Annual American Comedy Awards in 1988 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White during The Golden Girls 100th episode celebration in 1989 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White at the 4th Annual American Comedy Awards in 1990 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White during the book signing of Top Dog in 1991 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White as Rose Nylund in The Golden Palace in 1992 (Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)
Betty White as a cast member in the series BOB in 1993 (Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)
Betty White attends American Friends of Hebrew University Scopus Awards in 1994 (Image credit: Ron Galella, Ltd. / Contributor)
Betty White as the fiesty grandmother in Maybe This Time in 1995 (Image credit: Bonnie Schiffman / Contributor)
Betty White at the Emmy Awards in 1996 (Image credit: Bob Riha Jr / Contributor)
Betty White at the 11th Annual American Comedy Awards in 1997 (Image credit: Ron Galella, Ltd. / Contributor)
Betty White at the premiere for Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! in 1998 (Image credit: Ron Galella / Contributor)
Betty White staring as Mitzi Stiles on Ladies Man in 1999 (Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)
Betty White at the People's Choice Awards in 2000 (Image credit: Chris Bergman / Contributor)
Betty White guest stars on Missing the Bus an episode of The Ellen Show in 2001 (Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)
Betty White at the NBC 75th Celebration in 2002 (Image credit: Jim Spellman / Contributor)
Betty White meets a puppy at the 9th Annual Safari Brunch at the Playboy Mansion in 2003 (Image credit: Frazer Harrison / Staff)
Betty White at the DVD release party for The Golden Girls in 2004 (Image credit: Carlo Allegri / Staff)
Betty White during Betty White Celebrity Roast a Fundraiser for Animal Welfare in 2005 (Image credit: John Heller / Contributor)
Betty White at Old Navy's Nationwide search for a new canine mascot in 2006 (Image credit: E. Charbonneau / Staff)
Betty White at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2007 (Image credit: Jeffrey Mayer / Contributor)
Academy of Television Arts and Science celebrates Betty White's 60 years on television in 2008 (Image credit: Kevin Winter / Staff)
Betty White with Jacob the snack at the 39th Annual Beastly Ball at the LA Zoo in 2009 (Image credit: Frederick M. Brown / Stringer)
Betty White honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Acting at the American Women in Radio & Television Southern California 2010 Genii Awards (Image credit: Michael Kovac / Contributor)
Betty White attends SNL's 40th Anniversary Celebration in 2015 (Image credit: D Dipasupil / Contributor)