Legendary Hollywood actor Betty White died on Friday at the age of 99, just weeks before her 100th birthday, which would have taken place on January 17.  White is best known for her roles on “The Golden Girls” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

Confirming her death, White’s agent Jeff Witjas told PEOPLE, “Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever. I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don’t think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again.”

Also Read: Betty White family: How many children did she have?

Following her death, several celebrities paid tributes to her on social media. 

Actor Ryan Reynold tweeted, “The world looks different now. She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We’ll miss you, Betty. Now you know the secret.”

“What an exceptional life. I’m grateful for every second I got to spend with Betty White. Sending love to her family, friends and all of us,” Ellen DeGeneres tweeted.

“RIP Betty White, the only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end,” wrote Seth Meyers.

“Saddened to hear that Betty White has passed. I loved her comedic wit and endearing charm. She definitely was a sweetheart to the world and a gift to the entertainment world,” William Shatner tweeted.

White’s witty style gave life to a number of quirky characters over more than a half-century, including oddball Rose Nylund in “The Golden Girls” and the caretaker on “Hot In Cleveland.”