Bettine Moore Close

Bettine Moore Close
Born Elizabeth Mary Hester Moore
(1924-03-28)March 28, 1924
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died February 23, 2015(2015-02-23) (aged 90)
Big Piney, Wyoming, U.S.
Occupation Socialite, philanthropist
Spouse(s) William Close 1943 - 2009 (his death)
Children 5 biological children (predeceased by one); 2 adopted children

Bettine Moore Close (March 28, 1924 – February 23, 2015)[1] was an American socialite, philanthropist, wife of Dr. William Close, and the mother of actress Glenn Close.[2]

She was born Elizabeth Mary Hester Moore in New York City and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, daughter of Elizabeth (née Hyde; 1897-1983) and Charles Arthur Moore, Jr. (1880–1949). Charles's sister was Mary Elsie Moore, great-grandmother of actress Brooke Shields. Her aunt Mary had married into Italian nobility. The Moore family had started the supply company Manning, Maxwell and Moore.[3] she attended Rosemary Hall, now Choate Rosemary Hall, starting in 1938 and married Dr. William Taliaferro Close in 1943.

In the 1950s, Close and her husband moved to Africa after joining the Moral Re-Armament group, where William also found work as a doctor.[4] For a time William was the personal doctor of the president of the Congo, Mobutu Sese Seko.[5][6]

Bettine and her husband had three daughters, Glenn Close, a six-time Academy Award-nominated and Tony Award-winning actress, Tina Close, and Jessie Close; and two sons, Duncan and Alexander Close. Duncan Close died in 1949, the week he was born, from a heart defect.[7] They adopted two sons from Africa, Tambu and Edward.[8][9]

Her husband William Close died on January 15, 2009, aged 84, in Big Piney, Wyoming. Bettine and William had moved to Wyoming to provide medical care to a remote area there that was in need of doctors. They supported numerous Wyoming community organizations. In 1988, her daughter Glenn Close produced a documentary that aired on PBS titled Do You Mean There Are Still Real Cowboys. Encouraged by her parents' love of Wyoming, she documented the lives of several families in the Big Piney area.

Death

On February 23, 2015, Bettine Moore Close died in her sleep in Big Piney, Wyoming, aged 90.[10]

References

  1. ↑ https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K5PX-GZ8 accessed 8/18/14
  2. ↑ Profile Archived August 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine., wycf.org; accessed February 27, 2015.
  3. ↑ Moore family info, publicnoticeads.com; accessed February 27, 2015.
  4. ↑ http://newafricanmagazine.com/how-the-father-of-glenn-close-became-mobutus-personal-doctor/ accessed 8/18/2014
  5. ↑ accessed 8/18/2014< Profile, biography.com; accessed February 27, 2015.
  6. ↑ Profile, people.com; accessed February 27, 2015.
  7. ↑ Notice of death of Duncan Close, wsl.state.wy.us; accessed February 27, 2015.
  8. ↑ Close family profile, latimes.com; accessed February 27, 2015.
  9. ↑ Bettine Moore Close biodata, books.google.com; accessed February 27, 2015.
  10. ↑ Notice of death of Bettine Moore Close, people.com; accessed February 27, 2015.
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