Tess Curtis White Was Betty White’s Mother – Facts about Her Their Family

Tess Curtis, one of Betty White’s parents, died in her late 80s but lived to see her daughter achieve success during her acting career. A homemaker from Chicago, Tess shared a close bond with her daughter and significantly impacted the legendary “Golden Girls” actress the world came to love.

Born on July 25, 1899, Tess passed away in 1985 at 86 years old. She became well-known after her daughter’s success and has always supported Betty’s acting career.

While Tess had a more reserved personality, her daughter became a fan-favorite for her humor and bold character. However, their differing nature didn’t stop the pair from sharing the same optimism and Betty from becoming a “mama’s girl.”

Betty White circa 1990 | Source: Getty Images

Betty White Often Shared Details about Her Mom in Interviews

Betty was raised in Oak Park, Illinois, by her mother and father, Horace Logan White. After Tess and Horace married on February 17, 1921, they welcomed their only daughter.

While Tess did not have experience as an actress, her daughter lived to share the sage words of wisdom her mother gave her about living a long and happy life. Betty said:

“I’ve always been a cockeyed optimist. I got it from my mom. I’m gonna stick with it.”

Betty White onstage during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 21, 2008, in California. | Source: Getty Images

Betty’s father used to sell radios to make ends meet.

Tess was of Welsh and English heritage and the eldest of two siblings. While her husband worked in the electric industry as a sales representative, Tess cared for the home and raised her daughter.

While Betty didn’t have siblings to play with, she recalled being surrounded by animals as her parents were animal lovers. “We had them as long as I could remember,” Betty said.

Unlike her mother, Betty did not have any children. She married thrice during her lifetime and was a stepmother to three children, but shared that her career took precedence over starting a family.

Betty White at SNL’s 40th Anniversary Celebration on February 15, 2015, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Her Father Tried His Best to Make Extra Money for His Family during the Great Depression

As the Great Depression swept through several countries worldwide, the White family was one of plenty of households trying to keep the lights on and food on the table. As a result, Betty’s father used to sell radios to make ends meet. She revealed:

“During the Depression, my dad made radios to sell to make extra money. Nobody had any money to buy the radios, so he would trade them for dogs.”

After receiving the dogs, Horace would build kennels in his backyard and care for the animals. Fortunately, the White family was able to ease their financial worries and relocated to Los Angeles in 1938.

Betty White onstage during the 70th Emmy Awards on September 17, 2018, California. | Source: Getty Images

Betty White Was a “Mama’s Girl”

Betty was eight when she kickstarted her acting career, which lasted seven decades and earned her numerous accolades. And throughout the journey, she had her parents’ support. She said:

“My parents, and especially my mom, were supportive right from the start.”

During the early stages of her acting career, she struck up a friendship with fellow actress Lucille Ball after they met on a movie set, and it was not long before their mothers became friends. “They considered each other family,” a source said.

Betty would eat bologna, peanut butter, and iceberg lettuce sandwiches just like her mother would make them.

Betty White at the DVD release party for the first season of “The Golden Girls” on November 18, 2004, in California. | Source: Getty Images

Called “mama’s girls” by a friend, Betty and Lucille were raised by strong women who offered their daughters advice on navigating their male-dominated industry.

Betty and Lucille’s friendship not only stemmed from Betty’s adoration of Lucille’s humor but from Betty’s adoration of Lucille’s children as well. However, Betty shared that she did not regret not having her own kids and helping her ex-husband raise his children.

After Lucille’s mother passed away, Tess would send Lucille violets every year on her mother’s birthday as a sign of their close relationship.

Betty White also found a way to keep the memory of her mother alive after her passing. It was reported that Betty would eat bologna, peanut butter, and iceberg lettuce sandwiches long into her acting career, just like her mother would make them.

Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
Anomama