The legacy of Betty White lives on through her beloved body of work in entertainment and activism. Following her passing in the last hours of 2021, tributes to the comedic actor have continued to pour in. In one of the largest and most poignant homages, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has honored the late comedian with her very own stamps, which give a nod not only to her star power, but also to her tireless advocacy for animals.
As previously announced, the stamp features a digital illustration by artist Dale Stephanos, based on a photograph taken by Kwaku Alston in 2010. The stamp itself was designed by Greg Breeding, an art director at USPS. In the stamp, the late actor it set against a violet-colored background, while lighter-colored orbs surround her—a reference to her bubbling personality—which matches her polka-dotted blue-violet blouse.
Arguably the most moving details are White's signature smirk and a tiny accessory that peeks out of her blonde curls—a paw print-shaped earring that symbolizes her devotion to protect all animals. In a podcast interview, Stephanos recalled, “The family wanted her animal rights activism to be reflected in the stamp.” The idea to include the earring detail to satisfy White's family's wishes came to him at an unexpected time. “I was absent-mindedly drawing instead of eating my eggs and looking back down at the mess I had been making in my sketchbook, I saw that at some point, I had drawn a paw print,” says Stephanos. “I had a bit of a eureka moment and thought, what if I just give Betty an earring that’s in the shape of a paw print?”
USPS celebrated a first-day-of-issue ceremony on March 27 at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, of which the actor served as advocate, donor, and trustee since the 1970s. “Betty White was an American treasure,” said Amber McReynolds, chairwoman of the USPS Board of Governors. “With this stamp, we honor and remember the beloved ‘First Lady of Television' and the enduring mark she left on our American culture.”
The USPS Betty White stamp is now available in panes of 20 Forever stamps and a commemorative panel, as well as limited-edition envelopes, bookmarks, and Field Notes notebooks in sets of three. To order yours and stay up to date with new USPS stamps designs, visit the USPS website and follow USPS on Instagram.
USPS has released a stamp to honor the late great Betty White, as illustrated by artist Dale Stephanos.
One detail White's family wanted in the stamp was a nod to her years of animal rights activism.
Stephanos pays tribute to her activism in the illustration with a tiny paw print earring just below her blond curls.
Dale Stephanos: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Sources: New Betty White Stamps Deliver Smiles; Betty White to Smile on New Stamp
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