Dorothy Mengering, mother of David Letterman, died on Tuesday, a representative for the former late-night host confirmed the news. She was 95. The passing comes a day before Letterman’s 70th birthday.
Mengering, known as “Dave’s mom,” was a recurring guest on Late Show With David Letterman and helped her son on his top 10 lists, did segments from her Indiana home kitchen called “Guess Mom’s Pies,” and was an Olympic correspondent for her son’s show. Her first was the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, followed by the 1998 Olympics and and 2002. During those events she interviewed then-First Lady Hillary Clinton and ice skater Nancy Kerrigan.
In 1996, Mongering published the cookbook Home Cookin’ With Dave’s Mom, which had recipes that were tributes to her son and two daughters and steps on how to make her pies and desserts. At the time she told the New York Times, “I couldn’t believe how it all took off. I think it’s about the idea of mom and of a family. People are eager for families to be like they used to be. Even though there are lots of working moms and single-parent families now, you can still be a family in spite of the size and form it takes.”
Upon hearing the news Stephen Colbert, who took over Letterman on the Late Show in 2015, tweeted his condolences.
