White never regretted her decision to not have children. She was more than satisfied to be a stepmother to three beautiful kids.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 5, 2022. It has since been updated.
Despite being married thrice, legendary actress Betty White chose to never have children biologically. But it's something she's never regretted, according to a 2012 interview with CBS.
When asked if she is sorry that she never had her own children, White replied, “No, I’ve never regretted it. I’m so compulsive about stuff, I know if I had ever gotten pregnant, of course, that would have been my whole focus. But I didn’t choose to have children because I’m focused on my career. And I just don’t think as compulsive as I am that I could manage both.”
White was first married to Dick Barker. She then got married to Lane Allen, and finally to Allen Ludden, in 1963. She met Ludden when she was a guest on the televised game show Password, and she ended up falling in love with the series' host, Allen Ludden.
Though she chose not to get pregnant, when she married Ludden, she became a stepmother to his three children— David, Martha, and Sarah, from a previous marriage, adds PEOPLE. "It turned out great." She added that she felt "blessed" to take on the role. White and Ludden were married until his death from stomach cancer in 1981. The Illinois native never remarried.
In fact, this was common knowledge, and White's co-star from the romantic comedy The Proposal, Sanda Bullock, recalled White's feelings on being a stepmom. "Betty said, 'You know what? I never had children biologically. I married someone who had three children. And how blessed I was to have those three stepchildren,'" she explained.
Betty White died on December 31, 2021, just 17 days before her 100th birthday. While the news of her death is as devastating as it gets, the only consolation to come out of White's death is the fact that she lived a life with no regrets.
"Betty lived a great life and she lived a life that she chose. She was happy," agent at APA and longtime friend Jeff Witjas opened up to PEOPLE. "Every time I told her, 'Betty, you're loved,' she would look at me with a wry smile and say, 'Really?' I hope she knew. I think she did. It was something beyond love."
Rest in peace, White. We will definitely miss you.
References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-white-hot-betty-white/
https://people.com/tv/betty-white-fans-beloved-before-death-friend-agent-jeff-witjas/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Kevin Winter
