MINERAL POINT, Wis. — Betty White had not set foot in Mineral Point since laying her third husband to rest there in 1981, but the small Wisconsin town held out hope - and a few dozen beers - just in case she decided to return.
“We around town have always thought of Betty as a Pointer by marriage,” Commerce Street Brewery owner Mike Zupke told NPR after the legendary actress’ Dec. 31 death at the age of 99.
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In fact, the brewpub and inn not only created White’s namesake Blonde Betty in honor of her 97th birthday, but they have allowed patrons to pre-purchase drinks should Mineral Point’s favorite “Golden Girl” ever wander in to wet her whistle, Seehafer News reported.
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A September 2019 Instagram post showed White’s prepaid tab boasted 40 drinks, a figure that has since mushroomed to more than 110, NPR reported.
According to the media outlet, Allen Ludden, White’s third and final husband, was her link to the southwestern Wisconsin hamlet. Ludden, who hosted the TV game show “Password,” hailed from Mineral Point and was buried there in 1981, with White in attendance.
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In honor of White’s recent passing, and of her enduring popularity around town, the brewery now plans to donate the amount of drinks purchased in her honor through the end of January to one or more local animal shelters in White’s memory, Seehafer News reported.
As of Friday, the prepaid “tab” totaled $565 and continues growing, NPR reported.
“Once we posted a link for people to buy beers online, the beers/donations have steadily flowed in, from all over the country,” Zupke told the news outlet.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 35 Betty White through the years A headshot portrait of American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Slipgun_thumbs on January 9th, 2022 at 17:21 UTC »
Woah blonde betty. Bam ba lam
trexnoize on January 9th, 2022 at 16:23 UTC »
It’s honestly probably exactly what Betty would have wanted. Keep the goodness and love going
Applejuiceinthehall on January 9th, 2022 at 14:56 UTC »
My local dog group and nerd group on Facebook keep posting about donating $5 in Betty's name on her birthday